[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2165 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 437
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2165
[Report No. 112-179]
To enhance strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 6, 2012
Mrs. Boxer (for herself, Mr. Isakson, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr.
Blunt, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Heller, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr.
Rubio, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Moran, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr.
Blumenthal, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr.
Burr, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Casey, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Portman, Mr.
Roberts, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Coons, Mr. Lee, Mr. Begich,
Mrs. Gillibrand, Mrs. Hagan, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Crapo, Mr.
Whitehouse, Mr. Kirk, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Johanns, Mr. Inouye, Mr.
Wicker, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Carper, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Hatch, Mr.
Cornyn, Mr. Warner, Mr. Baucus, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Cochran, Mr.
Toomey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Coats, Mr. Brown of Massachusetts,
Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr.
Sessions, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Risch, Mr. Udall of Colorado,
Mr. Menendez, Mr. Reed, Mr. Franken, Ms. Landrieu, and Mr. Shelby)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations
June 27, 2012
Reported by Mr. Kerry, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To enhance strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Israel
Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Congress makes the following findings:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Since the State of Israel was established in
1948, Presidents of both parties and both Houses of Congress,
supported by the American people, have recognized the special
bond between the United States and Israel, based on shared
values and shared interests.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) The Middle East is undergoing rapid change,
bringing with it hope for an expansion of democracy but also
profound challenges to regional security--particularly to our
most important ally, Israel--and to the national security of
the United States.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) The past year has witnessed the fall of old
regimes and the rise of political parties in the Middle East
who must now choose between a course of moderation and
inclusion in the international community or a course of
extremism and isolation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
is continuing its decades-long pattern of seeking to foment
instability in the Middle East, particularly in this time of
dramatic political transition.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) At the same time, the Government of the
Islamic Republic of Iran continues to enrich uranium in
defiance of international law.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) 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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) Over the past several years, with the
assistance of the Governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran
and Syria, Hezbollah 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 develop its missile technology as well, including
cruise missiles.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) As a result, the Government and people of
Israel are facing a fundamentally altered strategic environment
fraught with new and profound challenges.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF UNITED STATES POLICY.</DELETED>
<DELETED> It is the policy of the United States:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) To provide the Government of Israel the
military capabilities necessary to deter and defend itself
against any threat or possible combination of
threats.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) 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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) To veto any one-sided anti-Israel resolutions
at the United Nations Security Council.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) To support Israel's inherent right to self-
defense.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) To pursue every opportunity to expand
cooperation with the Government of Israel on defense and
national security matters and across the spectrum of civilian
sectors, including advanced technology, agriculture, medicine,
health, pharmaceuticals, and energy.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> It is the sense of Congress that the United States
Government should take the following actions to assist in the defense
of Israel:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Work to encourage an expanded role for Israel
within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including
an enhanced presence at NATO headquarters and
exercises.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Expand already-close intelligence cooperation,
including satellite intelligence, with the Government of
Israel.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) 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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) Provide the Government of Israel with
necessary support to increase development and production of
joint missile defense systems, particularly such systems that
defend the urgent threat posed to Israel and United States
forces in the region.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) Make every effort to assure the provision to
the Government of Israel of defensive equipment through such
mechanisms as lend-lease, to include air refueling tankers,
missile defense capabilities, and specialized
munitions.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) Undertake efforts to make available for
purchase by the Government of Israel surplus defense items,
particularly those resulting from the end of United States
combat operations in Iraq.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) Offer the Air Force of Israel additional
training and exercise opportunities in the United States to
compensate for Israel's limited air space.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL STEPS TO DEFEND ISRAEL AND PROTECT AMERICAN
INTERESTS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Extension of War Reserves Stockpile Authority.--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Department of defense appropriations act,
2005.--Section 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''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Foreign assistance act of 1961.--Section
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''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Extension of Loan Guarantees to Israel.--Chapter 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''--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) in the matter preceding the first proviso, by
striking ``September 30, 2011'' and inserting ``September 30,
2015''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) in the second proviso, by striking ``September
30, 2011'' and inserting ``September 30, 2015''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 6. REPORTS REQUIRED.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Report on Israel's Qualitative Military Edge (QME).--
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 the status of Israel's qualitative military edge in light
of current trends and instability in the Middle East region, including
what, if any, mitigating technologies could be provided to the
Government of Israel to counter increasing threats in the
region.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Reports on Other Matters.--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 the following
matters:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Actions to improve the acquisition process for
the purchase of F-35 aircraft by Israel, particularly with
respect to cost efficiency and on-time delivery, taking into
account the urgent need of the Government of Israel for such
aircraft.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Efforts to expand cooperation between the
United States Government and the Government of Israel in
homeland security, counter-terrorism, maritime security,
energy, cyber-security, and other related areas.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Actions to integrate Israel into the defense
of the Eastern Mediterranean.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The
term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Qualitative military edge.--The 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)).</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Israel Enhanced
Security Cooperation Act of 2012''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
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.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
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.
SEC. 4. UNITED STATES ACTIONS TO ASSIST IN THE DEFENSE OF ISRAEL AND
PROTECT UNITED STATES INTERESTS.
It 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.
SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL STEPS TO DEFEND ISRAEL AND PROTECT AMERICAN
INTERESTS.
(a) Extension of War Reserves Stockpile Authority.--
(1) Department of defense appropriations act, 2005.--
Section 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 1961.--Section 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 Israel.--Chapter 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''.
SEC. 6. REPORTS REQUIRED.
(a) Report on Israel's Qualitative Military Edge (QME).--
(1) In general.--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 report.--If 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) Reports on Other Matters.--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.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The 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 edge.--The 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)).
Calendar No. 437
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2165
[Report No. 112-179]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To enhance strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 27, 2012
Reported with an amendment