(July 22, 2026 \/ JNS)\n <\/p>\n
The House of Representatives passed the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday despite objections from some Democrats and Republicans about a provision calling for greater military cooperation between the United States and Israel.<\/p>\n
The must-pass measure to fund the Pentagon budget passed mostly along party lines in an unusually close vote for a bill that usually receives broad bipartisan support.<\/p>\n
Just six Democrats, all in competitive districts or not seeking re-election, voted in favor of the bill, and seven Republicans opposed. It passed 216-212.<\/p>\n
Many Democrats and some Republicans objected to Section 219 of the bill, which calls on the U.S. defense secretary to designate a coordinator for U.S.-Israel military cooperation.<\/p>\n
Critics of the provision, led by Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), alleged that it would \u201cfuse\u201d the U.S. and Israeli militaries despite the text of the section focusing on creating a bureaucratic administrative role to manage existing cooperative efforts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis amendment is an existential threat to American sovereignty and democracy,\u201d Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) wrote<\/a> on Tuesday, claiming that it would \u201cmerge parts of our military with the Israel Defense Forces.\u201d<\/p>\n Democrats also objected to other provisions of the bill, such as the inclusion of the SAVE America Act, which requires strict forms of voter identification nationwide.<\/p>\n Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, wrote<\/a> that the bill was \u201cloaded with toxic, partisan amendments that continue the rightwing culture war.\u201d<\/p>\n Before final passage, the House agreed by voice vote to an amendment to Section 219 from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) striking its uses of the word \u201cintegration\u201d but otherwise leaving the provision intact.<\/p>\n The House did not consider an amendment from Massie to delete the provision entirely. Both Massie and Luna were among the Republicans who voted against passage of the overall bill.<\/p>\n