US House Blocks Amendment to Stop US‑Israel Defense Tech Integration

The Senate and House versions of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act contain a provision—formerly Section 224, now Section 219—creating a "United States‑Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative." The provision would allocate $300 million for joint research, development, testing, and integration of weapons and data systems, effectively merging the U.S. and Israeli defense industrial bases.

A bipartisan amendment introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie (R‑KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D‑CA) to strip the initiative from the bill was rejected by the House Rules Committee, preventing a full‑House vote. Critics, including former national‑security officials, warned that the measure threatens U.S. security by enabling Israeli access to sensitive technologies and intelligence. While the House has blocked the amendment, the Senate is still considering its version of the provision, and the final language will be settled in a conference committee.