An Update from CUFI Action Fund
Yesterday, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). We expect the Senate to take up the bill shortly. This legislation contains several provisions of significance to the US-Israel relationship and we strongly support it being signed into law once Congress sends it to the President’s desk.
Key Provisions
The NDAA contains two of the three items CUFI chose to focus on during our 2020 virtual Summit. The bill includes the US-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act (Sec 1271-1280B), which codifies the 10-year Memorandum of Understanding concerning US military assistance signed by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It also includes the language from the US-Israel Military Capability Act which establishes of United States-Israel Operations-Technology Working Group (section 1299M).
We focused on these two bills during our 2020 Summit, and our associated Action Alert generated hundreds of thousands of emails into Congress in support of our legislative agenda, because these items are central to Israel’s ability to defend herself and stay on the cutting edge of military technology.
In Addition
The NDAA contains several additional CUFI-backed provisions that are also vital to Israel’s security and the stability of the region. These include support for the Iron Dome rocket defense system and other Israeli missile defense systems co-developed with America (section 1649). These systems keep Israelis safe from Hamas and Hezbollah’s rockets and the threat of Iranian missiles.
Also included is a mandate that the US finally sanction the Islamist-led Turkey for their acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile system (Sec 1241), and a groundbreaking anti-money laundering provision that should help disrupt the illicit financial activities of terrorist organizations and rogue regimes.
In Conclusion
No bill is perfect, but the NDAA is a very good piece of legislation. It will help keep America safe and it will strengthen the US-Israel relationship. Advancing this bill is in the vital national security interests of both the United States and Israel.
The CUFI Action Fund
and the 9.5 million members of Christians United for Israel are focused on ensuring the NDAA becomes law. As such, we will oppose any effort to derail this bill. We look forward to the Senate passing this legislation and the President signing it into law.
Sincerely,
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