1.This Act may be cited as the
United States-Israel Enhanced Security
Cooperation Act of 2012
.
2.Congress makes the following
findings:
(1)Since 1948, United States Presidents and
both houses of Congress, on a bipartisan basis and supported by the American
people, have repeatedly reaffirmed the special bond between the United States
and Israel, based on shared values and shared interests.
(2)The Middle East is undergoing rapid change,
bringing with it hope for an expansion of democracy but also great challenges
to the national security of the United States and our allies in the region,
particularly to our most important ally in the region, Israel.
(3)The Government of the Islamic Republic of
Iran is continuing its decades-long pattern of seeking to foment instability
and promote extremism in the Middle East, particularly in this time of dramatic
political transition.
(4)At the same time, the Government of the
Islamic Republic of Iran continues to enrich uranium in defiance of multiple
United Nations Security Council resolutions.
(5)A nuclear-weapons capable Iran would
fundamentally threaten vital United States interests, encourage regional
nuclear proliferation, further empower Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor
of terror, and pose a serious and destabilizing threat to Israel and the
region.
(6)Over the past several years, with the
assistance of the Governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria,
Hizbollah and Hamas have increased their stockpile of rockets, with more than
60,000 now ready to be fired at Israel. The Government of the Islamic Republic
of Iran continues to add to its arsenal of ballistic missiles and cruise
missiles, which threaten Iran’s neighbors, Israel, and United States Armed
Forces in the region.
(7)As a result, Israel is facing a
fundamentally altered strategic environment.
(8)Pursuant to chapter 5 of title 1 of the
Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 (Public Law 108–11; 117
Stat. 576), the authority to make available loan guarantees to Israel is
currently set to expire on September 30, 2012.
3.It is the policy of the United
States:
(1)To reaffirm our unwavering commitment to
the security of the State of Israel as a Jewish state. As President Barack
Obama stated on December 16, 2011, America’s commitment and my
commitment to Israel and Israel’s security is unshakeable.
And as
President George W. Bush stated before the Israeli Knesset on May 15, 2008, on
the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, The
alliance between our governments is unbreakable, yet the source of our
friendship runs deeper than any treaty.
.
(2)To help the Government of Israel preserve
its qualitative military edge amid rapid and uncertain regional political
transformation.
(3)To veto any one-sided anti-Israel
resolutions at the United Nations Security Council.
(4)To support Israel’s inherent right to
self-defense.
(5)To pursue avenues to expand cooperation
with the Government of Israel both in defense and across the spectrum of
civilian sectors, including high technology, agriculture, medicine, health,
pharmaceuticals, and energy.
(6)To assist the Government of Israel with its
ongoing efforts to forge a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict that results in two states living side-by-side in
peace and security, and to encourage Israel’s neighbors to recognize Israel’s
right to exist as a Jewish state.
(7)To encourage further development of
advanced technology programs between the United States and Israel given current
trends and instability in the region.
4.United states actions to assist in the
defense of Israel and protect United States interestsIt is the sense of Congress that the United
States Government should take the following actions to assist in the defense of
Israel:
(1)Seek to enhance the capabilities of the
Governments of the United States and Israel to address emerging common threats,
increase security cooperation, and expand joint military exercises.
(2)Provide the Government of Israel such
support as may be necessary to increase development and production of joint
missile defense systems, particularly such systems that defend against the
urgent threat posed to Israel and United States forces in the region.
(3)Provide the Government of Israel assistance
specifically for the production and procurement of the Iron Dome defense system
for purposes of intercepting short-range missiles, rockets, and projectiles
launched against Israel.
(4)Provide the Government of Israel defense
articles and defense services through such mechanisms as appropriate, to
include air refueling tankers, missile defense capabilities, and specialized
munitions.
(5)Provide the Government of Israel additional
excess defense articles, as appropriate, in the wake of the withdrawal of
United States forces from Iraq.
(6)Examine ways to strengthen existing and
ongoing efforts, including the Gaza Counter Arms Smuggling Initiative, aimed at
preventing weapons smuggling into Gaza pursuant to the 2009 agreement following
the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as well as measures to protect against
weapons smuggling and terrorist threats from the Sinai Peninsula.
(7)Offer the Air Force of Israel additional
training and exercise opportunities in the United States to compensate for
Israel’s limited air space.
(8)Work to encourage an expanded role for
Israel with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including an
enhanced presence at NATO headquarters and exercises.
(9)Expand already-close intelligence
cooperation, including satellite intelligence, with Israel.
5.Additional steps to defend Israel and
protect American interests
(a)Extension of war reserves stockpile
authority
(1)Department of defense appropriations act,
2005Section 12001(d) of the
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108–287; 118 Stat.
1011) is amended by striking more than 8 years after
and
inserting more than 10 years after
.
(2)Foreign assistance act of
1961Section 514(b)(2)(A) of
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321h(b)(2)(A)) is amended by
striking fiscal years 2011 and 2012
and inserting fiscal
years 2013 and 2014
.
(b)Extension of loan guarantees to
IsraelChapter 5 of title I
of the Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 (Public Law
108–11; 117 Stat. 576) is amended under the heading Loan Guarantees to
Israel
—
(1)in the matter preceding the first proviso,
by striking September 30, 2011
and inserting September
30, 2015
; and
(2)in the second proviso, by striking
September 30, 2011
and inserting September 30,
2015
.
6.
(a)Report on Israel’s qualitative military
edge (QME)
(1)Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives a report on the status of Israel’s qualitative
military edge in light of current trends and instability in the region.
(2)Substitution for quadrennial
reportIf submitted within
one year of the date that the first quadrennial report required by section
201(c)(2) of the Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–429; 22
U.S.C. 2776 note) is due to be submitted, the report required by paragraph (1)
may substitute for such quadrennial report.
(b)Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on each of the following matters:
(1)Taking into account the Government of
Israel’s urgent requirement for F–35 aircraft, actions to improve the process
relating to its purchase of F–35 aircraft, particularly with respect to cost
efficiency and timely delivery.
(2)Efforts to expand cooperation between the
United States and Israel in homeland security, counter-terrorism, maritime
security, energy, cyber-security, and other related areas.
(3)Actions to integrate Israel into the
defense of the Eastern Mediterranean.
7.In this Act:
(1)Appropriate congressional
committeesThe term
appropriate congressional committees means—
(A)the Committee on Appropriations, the
Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Select
Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
(B)the Committee on Appropriations, the
Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of
Representatives.
(2)Qualitative military edgeThe term qualitative military
edge has the meaning given the term in section 36(h)(2) of the Arms
Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(h)(2)).
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Vice President of the United States and President of the
Senate