During a call with reporters on Thursday, U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) discussed Section 219 of the recently House-passed annual National Defense Authorization Act.<\/p>\n
Opponents of the provision, also known as the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative, claim it would link the United States and Israeli militaries in a previously unprecedented and inappropriate fashion. <\/p>\n
Tuberville disagreed, arguing that Section 219 codifies already existing aspects of the military relationship between the two countries and better facilitates shared research and development.<\/p>\n
“This is just the House version of the NDAA,” he said. “Section 219 is being worked on during the conference as we keep watching it, it’ll proceed. But what I can tell you is that it just codifies existing partnerships that the U.S. and Israel have had in place for years. 219, what it does is it sets up a mechanism to share research and development and best practices for innovative defense technology.”<\/p>\n
He added, “We want to continue to have the best innovative and fighting force in the world, and what better way to do that than to work with Israel and other countries.”<\/p>\n
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks), chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, introduced Section 219 in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n