The NDAA is an annual must-pass bill that provides legal authority for all Defense Dept. activities.
The first NDAA considered by the Senate (S. 1034 of 5/23/13) was introduced by Sens. Levin and Inhofe by request, meaning that it contained funding totals from the executive budget request and previous spending agreements, and that it was to be used as a starting-point for debate. That bill was not acted on. Instead, the Senate preferred to introduce this bill, with new proposals for the NDAA. Therefore, the authorizations listed below reflect the sense of the Senate only, and the executive requests will not be considered.
Relevant authorizations include those for joint U.S.-Israeli missile defense programs, Iran sanctions and missile defense, reactions to the Syrian crisis, and aid to Egypt.
Israel Missile Defense
Noting the ‘growing threat’ facing Israel, this bill would authorize up to $466.091 m. in support for joint U.S.-Israel cooperative programs and the Iron Dome missile defense system. A total of $245.782 m. was designated for the cooperative programs, of which $132.5 m. was for the David’s Sling system, $72.6 m. for the Arrow 3 system, and $40.7 for the Arrow system. The remaining $220.309 m. was designated for the Iron Dome missile defense system.
For the Senate floor consideration of this bill, 4 amendments were filed that concerned Israel directly.
S.A. 2235, submitted on 11/19/13 by Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), no cosponsors.
In addition to reaffirming U.S. support for Israel, this amendment would require the defense secretary to file a report to Congress that explores additional ways the U.S. and Israel could cooperate on missile defense. It was neither considered nor attached to the bill.
S.A. 2283, submitted on 11/19/13 by Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), 1 cosponsor.
This amendment is identical to S.A. 2235, summarized above. It is unclear why Sen. Gillibrand filed it twice. It was neither considered nor attached to the bill.
S.A. 2244, submitted on 11/19/13 by Martin Heinrich (D-NM), 2 cosponsors.
This amendment would authorize $15 m. for an expansion of the capacity to produce the Iron Dome missile defense system in the U.S. It was neither considered nor attached to the bill.
S.A. 2454, submitted on 11/21/13 by Pat Toomey (R-PA), no cosponsors.
This amendment is identical to S. Con. Res. 27, which Sen. Toomey also introduced on 11/21/13. It was neither considered nor attached to the bill.
Sanctions on Iran
After the House passed a measure strengthening sanctions on Iran on 7/31 (H.R. 850 of 2/27/13), Israeli officials, pro-Israel lobbying groups, and senators favorable to it sought to pass similar legislation in the Senate. In a phone call with Pres. Obama, Israeli PM Netanyahu urged the enactment of stronger sanctions. During his visit to Washington during the week of 11/11, Israeli minister of economy and trade Naftali Bennett lobbied senators personally for stronger sanctions. Further support came from pro-Israel lobbying groups—AIPAC, ADL, AJC, and the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations (COP)—which demurred when high-ranking administration officials made a direct, in-person plea to the lobbying groups’ respective leaders for a 60-day reprieve on lobbying for stronger sanctions. In spite of these pressures, key senators largely supported the president’s effort to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, making unlikely the passage of a new sanctions measure.
When the bill was brought to the floor of the Senate for consideration, 5 amendments were filed with the intention of either strengthening the sanctions on Iran or calling for further sanctions. The amendments, summarized below, were offered as part of the NDAA rather than proposed as individual measures because they were opposed by Tim Johnson (D-SD), the chairman of the Senate Banking Cmte., which has jurisdiction in the matter of sanctions. Another reason that makes it attractive for such rider amen