On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2027 fiscal year in the amount of $1.15 trillion. The document is aimed at funding the country's key defense programs and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
The vote passed largely along party lines with a margin of 216-212. Only six Democrats voted in favor of the bill, while seven Republicans voted against it. Disputes were sparked by Section 219, which mandates the US Secretary of Defense to appoint a coordinator for military cooperation between the US and Israel. Critics led by Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie stated that this measure would lead to a "merger" of the two countries' armies.
“This amendment represents an existential threat to American sovereignty and democracy,” stated Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Before the final vote, the House of Representatives agreed to include an amendment by Representative Anna Paulina Luna, which removed the word "integration" from the text of Section 219, although the provision itself remained in the document. Democrats also objected to the inclusion of the SAVE America Act in the bill, which requires strict forms of voter identification.
Funding for defense programs and Israel
The bill provides for an increase in total spending on US-Israel military cooperation from $65 million to $750 million. Of the $500 million allocated for joint missile defense programs, funds are being reallocated: funding for the Arrow 3 system is increasing to $150 million (from $100 million in 2026 and $50 million in 2025), while funding for the Iron Dome is being reduced to $20 million (from $60 million in 2026 and $110 million in 2025).
“We welcome the inclusion of a new provision that will help ensure America's security and strengthen our strategic capabilities — Initiatives on US-Israel defense-technological cooperation,” stated AIPAC.
Source: jns.org
