Congress passed an Israel strategic partnership bill Wednesday that will deepen defense and energy ties and strengthen cooperation in research and development, business, and academics, the Times of Israel reported.
The bill advanced to the White House after Wednesday passage in the House of Representatives. The Senate passed the bill unanimously in September. It was sponsored by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D., Calif.) and Roy Blunt (R., Mo.).
The legislation deepens US-Israeli cooperation on defense and energy, and expresses "the sense of Congress that Israel is a major strategic partner of the United States." In addition, it authorizes an increase of $200 million in the value of US weapons held in forward stockpiles in Israel, to a total of $1.8 billion. In the event of an emergency, Israel can access the stockpiles as long as it reimburses the US for any weapons used.
The bill also expands cooperation on research and development, business, agriculture, water management and academics.
The bill requires the administration to take steps toward allowing Israel to be included in the top-tier category for license-free exports of certain US defense technologies and products as well as to provide more frequent and more detailed assessments on the status of Israel’s qualitative military edge over its neighbors.