House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) on Wednesday introduced stand-alone legislation that puts $1 billion toward Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, a day after House Democrats removed the provision from a government spending bill following pushback from some progressives.
“The United States’ commitment to the security of our friend and ally Israel is ironclad. Replenishing interceptors used to protect Israel from attacks is our legal and moral responsibility,” DeLauro said in a statement.
“While this funding would ordinarily be included in a year-end spending package, we are advancing this legislation now to demonstrate Congress’ bipartisan commitment to Israel’s security as part of a Middle East with lasting peace,” she added.
The funding is intended to go toward replacing Israel’s missile interceptors, which other House Democrats called for following a violent conflict between Israel and Hamas earlier this year.
House Democrats initially included a provision with funding to boost Israel’s air defense system in a spending bill to prevent a government shutdown.
However, the language was nixed from the bill following objections from some progressive lawmakers, months after they pushed for conditions on U.S. military aid provided to the nation in the wake of the deadly conflict in the Gaza Strip over the summer.
The legislation was passed later in the day without the provision. But House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) signaled not long after that the House would take up a stand-alone bill that included funding for Israel’s Iron Dome.
As part of a 10-year memorandum of understanding struck under the Obama administration in 2016, the U.S. is committed to providing at least $3.8 billion in security assistance each year.