Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), Tom MacArthur (R-NJ-03) and Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) introduced bipartisan legislation that would provide for the sharing of research and development costs between the United States and Israel to develop directed energy capabilities to detect and defeat ballistic missiles. These directed energy capabilities would detect and defeat ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, mortars and improvised explosive devices that threaten the United States, our forces overseas and Israel.
“We live in an increasingly dangerous and unstable world and it is critical that we do all we can to protect our nation and our interests,” said Congresswoman Stefanik (NY-21). “Israel is our greatest ally in the Middle East, and through greater cooperation we can more effectively combat threats facing our two nations. I am pleased to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will help ensure greater security for the United States and Israel.”
“Today’s rapidly evolving threats have changed our approach to national security both at home, and abroad,” said Congressman MacArthur (NJ-03). “We must make vital investments in missile defense and further expand our partnership with Israel in this field which has made great strides in recent years, and will offer the U.S. and Israel a less expensive and highly capable defense system. As our closest ally in a highly unstable part of the world, Israel faces countless threats and challenges to her very existence, including the ballistic missile testing conducted by Iran last week which included the insult “Israel should be wiped off the earth” written in Hebrew on one of the missiles. It is abundantly clear that there is no time to waste in helping to improve the defense of both the US and Israel.”
“This legislation will provide vital tools at a critical time for the United States and our ally, Israel. In an uncertain world, we must work collectively with our friends in Israel and take prudent actions to defend ourselves from the very real threats we face together,” said Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01).
The intent of this legislation is similar to the U.S./Israel agreement signed on March 5, 2014, concerning Iron Dome defense procurement. This legislation would stipulate details of U.S. coproduction of directed energy components in the United States with Israel and support a 50/50 work share which would allow Israel to further its defenses against growing threats and allow the United States to share those capabilities in theater and the Homeland. Click here for text of this legislation.
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