[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2325 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2325

   To authorize further assistance to Israel for the Iron Dome anti-
                        missile defense system.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 19, 2012

     Mr. Nelson of Florida (for himself, Mrs. Boxer, and Mr. Kirk) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize further assistance to Israel for the Iron Dome anti-
                        missile defense system.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Iron Dome Support Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The State of Israel remains vulnerable to attack from 
        missiles, rockets, and mortar shells fired at Israeli civilian 
        targets by militants from the foreign terrorist organization 
        Hamas on its southern border and by the foreign terrorist 
        organization Hezbollah on its northern border. Past attacks 
        have killed, wounded, or inflicted psychological trauma on 
        countless Israeli citizens.
            (2) The United States Government remains committed to 
        ensuring the Government of Israel's qualitative military edge, 
        including maintaining its advantage over non-state actors such 
        as Hezbollah and Hamas who possess increasingly sophisticated 
        and powerful weapons as a result of support from Iran, Syria, 
        and other state actors.
            (3) The Israeli Defense Forces recently reported that the 
        Iron Dome anti-missile defense system has achieved a success 
        rate of more than 90 percent, intercepting rockets bound for 
        residential neighborhoods, busy road junctions, shopping 
        centers, and crowded streets in southern Israel.
            (4) The high success rate of the Iron Dome anti-missile 
        defense system has helped avert significant Israeli casualties.
            (5) The United States can help to advance its own vital 
        national security interests and the cause of peace and 
        stability in the Middle East by supporting Israel's ability to 
        defend itself against missiles, rockets, and other threats.
            (6) In 2010, President Barack Obama requested funds to help 
        the State of Israel procure and maintain Iron Dome missile 
        batteries. Congress then provided funding for the purchase of 
        up to 10 Iron Dome systems.
            (7) The Government of Israel currently has three 
        operational Iron Dome batteries deployed in the field, which 
        are insufficient to protect all of the territory of Israel.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE TO ISRAEL FOR IRON DOME ANTI-
              MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM.

    The President, acting through the Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of State, is authorized to provide assistance for the 
procurement, maintenance, and sustainment of the Iron Dome anti-missile 
defense system for purposes of intercepting short-range missiles 
launched against Israel.
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