Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed H.R. 938, the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Ranking Member of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee and Subcommittee Chairman Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). This bipartisan legislation enhances the broad scope of cooperation between the U.S. and Israel in an array of areas, including military strategy, security, energy, and trade. 

“The United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act sends an important message to the international community that in an era of enormous volatility in the Middle East, the United States and Israel stand together,” said Congressman Deutch. “Yet this bill does more than enhance our mutual security objectives. It expands the partnership between our two nations in agriculture, energy, homeland security, and cyber security. What this legislation ultimately seeks to do is remind the international community of the depth of the partnership between our two great nations.” 

This bipartisan legislation:

• Declares Israel to be a major strategic partner of the United States; and
• Authorizes the President to carry out U.S.–Israel cooperative activities and promote cooperation in the fields of energy, water, homeland security, agriculture, and alternative fuel technologies; and
• Urges the President to support the procurement, maintenance, and enhancement of the Iron Dome defense system, Arrow 2, Arrow 3, and David’s Sling
• Authorizes the Department of Defense to transfer excess weapons to Israel and enhance our own forward deployed weapons stockpile there