US Political News and Trump’s China visit
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Davey Crockett
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Schumer’s bid to add Antisemitism Awareness Act to NDAA defense bill fails
While AAA is not included in the wide-ranging defense bill, it does contain a slew of provisions relating to Middle East policy.
The explanatory report accompanying the bill requires the Defense Department to report to Congress on the U.S. airbase in Qatar — the largest in the Middle East — in light of Qatar’s relationship with Hamas and other terrorist groups, and on the possibility of relocating the base elsewhere. Lawmakers have urged the U.S. to consider such a step in response to Qatar’s support for Hamas and sheltering of its leaders.
Though it has long since been dismantled, the bill also bars the U.S. from reconstructing or maintaining the humanitarian pier used earlier this year to transport aid into Gaza.
It includes a new restriction banning the sale of products created by large companies engaged in boycotts of Israel in military base commissaries — an incremental but notable expansion of anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions efforts on the federal level.
The finalized bill authorizes $47.5 million for joint development projects in emerging defense technologies and $80 million for joint counter-tunneling programs, a $30 million increase last year, as well as the annual $300 million for cooperative missile defense programs.
It expands anti-tunneling cooperative efforts with Israel; requires the military to hold an annual anti-tunneling exercise with Israel and potentially other partners; requires the U.S. to provide Israel with intelligence and assistance to capture or kill Hamas leaders; mandates efforts to ensure Israel has sufficient air-defense interceptors to counter potential threats; and establishes U.S.-Israel partnership programs on defense innovation and trauma rehabilitation.
The NDAA creates a new program requiring the Defense Department to report to Congress within 30 days of any instance in which Iran transfers weapons or weapons components to any proxy group or foreign government.
It further prohibits the Pentagon funding for Iranian government-controlled entities and establishes a grant program to promote internet freedom in Iran.
Congress on potential steps to prevent smuggling and tunneling along the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt; U.S. efforts and assistance provided to recover the hostages being held in Gaza; cooperative efforts to counter Iranian and Iranian proxy drone attacks; Iranian support to non-state actors in Northern Africa; Iran-backed attacks on the U.S.’ Al-Tanf base in Syria; cooperation between Iran and other hostile state actors; the status of the U.S.-South Africa relationship and South Africa’s ties to U.S. adversaries; Iran’s nuclear capabilities; the accuracy of Gaza Ministry of Health casualty data; and the possibility of incorporating Israel into the U.S. national technology and industrial base.
The final bill does not include other provisions from the version of the NDAA that passed the House, including establishing a joint PTSD research program, banning the Pentagon from funding rebuilding activities in Gaza and providing a bounty for information about Hamas leaders.
It does not include provisions included in both the House bill and one passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee that would have barred the Pentagon from assisting Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank in relocating to the United States.
Schumer’s bid to add Antisemitism Awareness Act to NDAA defense bill fails
The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act was released Saturday evening, without the antisemitism bill, following opposition from House Speaker Mike Johnson
jewishinsider.com
Davey Crockett
Elite Member
Davey Crockett
Elite Member
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