Thirty-seven U.S. senators have signed a letter urging leaders of a House-Senate conference committee to provide more than $600 million for Israeli missile defense programs in the fiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill.
The July 26 letter, led by Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), endorses the $601 million level put forth in the House version of the bill. The Senate bill, by contrast, contains $281 million. The letter asserts that Israel needs the higher amount to continue developing and buying systems designed to counter growing missile and rocket threats from Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas.
Photo: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
“We believe that fully funding U.S.-Israeli missile defense programs at $601 million, as funded by the House-passed [bill], is a level that will allow Israel to fully meet its national security requirements,” the letter says.
The letter notes that the House and Senate versions of the FY 2017 defense appropriations bill both propose $601 million.
Signed by 19 Republicans and 18 Democrats, the letter is addressed to Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Reps. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the chairman and ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee. Thornberry told reporters July 25 that with Congress on recess until September, staffers are working to narrow differences between the House and Senate versions of the authorization bill.
Israel’s missile defense systems include Arrow, which is designed to destroy long-range ballistic missiles; Iron Dome, which targets short-range rockets; and David’s Sling, which is intended to shoot down long-range rockets, cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles.