The BUDGET contains much pro-Israel legislation

T. Belman. I am guessing that the reason Trump didn’t veto the budget bill is because it provides a big increase in defense spending. He needs a strong military before he needs to build the wall. Immigration could wait for a year but his muscular foreign policy couldn’t.

AIPAC

Our work together just made a difference for Israel’s security and for its future.

Early this morning, the United States Congress passed major pro-Israel legislation as part of its Omnibus Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2018.

This legislation includes many critical initiatives that will bolster Israel’s security, including:

• $3.1 billion for U.S. security assistance to Israel, to help our ally defend herself and protect her citizens.
• $705.8 million for missile defense programs, representing $105 million more than last year’s funding level.
• $47.5 million for joint anti-tunneling technologies, a $5 million increase from last year.

 

The bill was also the vehicle for Congress to pass the Taylor Force Act , critical legislation that cuts funding to the Palestinian Authority if it continues paying terrorists or their families.

This is a major milestone after years of hard work to stop this horrendous practice perpetuated by Palestinian leadership. No longer will America tolerate rewards and incentives for terrorism. It must end once and for all.

Finally, today’s omnibus bill includes several new funding programs for strategic cooperation, including for the establishment of a U.S.-Israel Center of Excellence in energy and water technologies.

We are grateful for the persistent efforts of leaders in Congress who championed these key bipartisan initiatives through the legislative process. Please click here to thank your members of Congress for supporting our ally Israel through today’s important vote. 

This month, I spoke at our Policy Conference about the promise of our movement, the passion of activists like you, and the possibilities for what we can achieve when standing united. Today is one great example.

I look forward to working with you in the years ahead to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Sincerely,

Mort Fridman, M.D.
AIPAC President

P.S. Below is AIPAC’s press release on today’s legislation.

Critical Pro-Israel Provisions
Contained in Omnibus Bill

Legislation Includes Taylor Force Act

AIPAC applauds Congress for including key provisions to help Israel address critical security challenges in the Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations bill. The bill provides $3.1 billion in overall security assistance to Israel. The bill also includes the Taylor Force Act—bipartisan legislation that would eliminate funding that directly benefits the Palestinian Authority (PA) if it continues its abhorrent practice of paying salaries to terrorists or their families.

For many years, AIPAC has worked to end this PA practice that incentivizes terrorism and sets back the pursuit of peace. Current law requires a reduction of U.S. assistance by an amount equivalent to that paid by the PA, the Palestine Liberation Organization or any affiliated organization to individuals—or the families of those individuals—who have committed acts of terrorism. However, this reprehensible practice continues, necessitating the increased pressure provided by the Taylor Force Act.

The spending bill also contains a total of $705.8 million for U.S.-Israel missile defense cooperation, representing $105 million more than last year’s adopted funding level. These funds would support both research and development for and procurement of the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 cooperative missile defense systems—key programs that help Israel defend its citizens against rockets and missiles and also advance America’s own missile defense capabilities.

In addition, this legislation also contains a total of $47.5 million for critical U.S.-Israel anti-tunnel cooperation.  The bill includes an appropriation for the establishment of a U.S.-Israel Center of Excellence in energy and water technologies—the first new appropriation in a decade for a U.S.-Israel non-defense program. It also fully funds the U.S.-Israel BIRD-Energy program and enables it, for the first time, to fund natural gas projects.

In adopting this legislation, AIPAC appreciates the leadership of many members of Congress who had a hand in different parts of the bill, including: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN) and Ranking Member Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) and Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN) and Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO).

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