Khanna Calls on Democrats to Remove Israel Military Integration Clause from Defense Bill
(MENAFN) US Congressman Ro Khanna has called on Democratic lawmakers to prioritize eliminating a provision from the defense spending legislation that seeks to strengthen military integration between the United States and Israel during Congress's post-election lame-duck session.
“As an American, I am outraged by Section 219 that integrates our military with Israel’s. Who do they think they are?” Khanna said in a video message shared on the social media platform X.
“This needs to be the top priority in the lame duck session,” he added.
“I am pushing every Democrat and our leadership to get Section 219 out of our defense bill,” said the California Democrat.
The disputed measure, known as the “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative,” appears in the House version of the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It would instruct the defense secretary to appoint an “executive agent” responsible for expanding and speeding up joint defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation and industrial cooperation with Israel.
Khanna previously attempted to remove the provision through an amendment submitted in June, when it was designated Section 224. However, the House Armed Services Committee voted against his proposal. A subsequent bipartisan effort by Khanna and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie to secure a floor vote on removing the measure was also blocked by the House Rules Committee.
The House approved the $1.15 trillion defense bill on July 22, passing it by 216 votes to 212. A total of 205 Democrats opposed the legislation.
A corresponding version of the bill is still awaiting approval in the Senate and contains a similar provision.
Khanna's campaign to eliminate the clause follows remarks by President Donald Trump last week that Washington would end its annual military assistance to Israel, worth approximately $4 billion, by the close of this year. Trump argued that the funding had turned into a “talking point” for Democrats to use against Republicans.
The congressman's position also comes amid changing public attitudes toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A Gallup survey released this year found that, for the first time since the polling organization began tracking the issue, more Americans expressed sympathy for Palestinians than for Israelis.
The findings followed Israel's two-year war on Gaza, which Palestinian figures say killed more than 74,000 people and left over 175,000 others injured.
“As an American, I am outraged by Section 219 that integrates our military with Israel’s. Who do they think they are?” Khanna said in a video message shared on the social media platform X.
“This needs to be the top priority in the lame duck session,” he added.
“I am pushing every Democrat and our leadership to get Section 219 out of our defense bill,” said the California Democrat.
The disputed measure, known as the “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative,” appears in the House version of the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It would instruct the defense secretary to appoint an “executive agent” responsible for expanding and speeding up joint defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation and industrial cooperation with Israel.
Khanna previously attempted to remove the provision through an amendment submitted in June, when it was designated Section 224. However, the House Armed Services Committee voted against his proposal. A subsequent bipartisan effort by Khanna and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie to secure a floor vote on removing the measure was also blocked by the House Rules Committee.
The House approved the $1.15 trillion defense bill on July 22, passing it by 216 votes to 212. A total of 205 Democrats opposed the legislation.
A corresponding version of the bill is still awaiting approval in the Senate and contains a similar provision.
Khanna's campaign to eliminate the clause follows remarks by President Donald Trump last week that Washington would end its annual military assistance to Israel, worth approximately $4 billion, by the close of this year. Trump argued that the funding had turned into a “talking point” for Democrats to use against Republicans.
The congressman's position also comes amid changing public attitudes toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A Gallup survey released this year found that, for the first time since the polling organization began tracking the issue, more Americans expressed sympathy for Palestinians than for Israelis.
The findings followed Israel's two-year war on Gaza, which Palestinian figures say killed more than 74,000 people and left over 175,000 others injured.
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