The self-styled Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, head of the U.S. Defense Department, shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a bilateral exchange at the Pentagon, July 9, 2025. — U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza/DoDBy Ed Flaherty, Iowa City

The U.S. Congress is preparing to give Israel unprecedented privileges via the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Section 219 of the draft NDAA directs the Secretary of Defense to expand integration of the U.S. and Israeli military sectors. If Section 219 becomes law, U.S. and Israeli militaries will be joined at the hip. The measure directs the Department of Defense to appoint a senior “executive agent” to integrate Israeli defense technology directly into sensitive U.S. weapons systems, including artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, autonomous systems, and quantum computing. 

Nothing like this has ever been done before in U.S. history. No other nation has ever been given the access to U.S. military resources that Section 219 proposes to give to Israel. It is an affront to U.S. sovereignty, and is frankly absurd. The U.S. and Israel are allies, but it has been a contentious relationship, with that contentiousness amplified right now.   

There are so many reasons to oppose the draft 2027 NDAA effort (e.g., an over 40 percent increase in an already bloated, unaudited military budget), but the inclusion of Section 219 is uniquely egregious. Please study this for yourself, and make your opinion known to your employees in D.C. The Armed Services Committees of both the House and Senate have approved the NDAA draft, including Section 219. The House may begin voting on the NDAA before the 4th of July. The Senate will be taking a two-week vacation, so no action there before July 13.