America Stands with Israel Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 4156 To provide defense and security assistance to ensure the survival of Israel and its people from an existing or imminent military threat, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AUGUST 2, 2019 Mr. MEADOWS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To provide defense and security assistance to ensure the survival of Israel and its people from an existing or imminent military threat, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘America Stands with 4 Israel Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS EXISTING OR IMMINENT 6 MILITARY THREAT TO ISRAEL. 7 (a) AUTHORITY.—The President, upon request of the 8 Prime Minister of Israel, is authorized to carry out such 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Aug 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4156.IH H4156 jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 4156 IH actions that may be necessary to ensure the survival of 1 Israel and its people from an existing or imminent military 2 threat, including threats from other countries, terrorist or- 3 ganizations, and violent extremist, cyber, and chemical, bi- 4 ological, and nuclear threats. Any activities carried out 5 pursuant to such authority shall be conducted in a manner 6 that appropriately protects the national security interests 7 of the United States and the national security interests 8 of Israel. 9 (b) USE OF FORCE.— 10 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out subsection 11 (a), the President is authorized to use force and in- 12 troduce United States Armed Forces— 13 (A) into hostilities or into situations where 14 imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly in- 15 dicated by the circumstances; 16 (B) into the territory, airspace or waters of 17 a foreign country, while equipped for combat; or 18 (C) in numbers which substantially enlarge 19 United States Armed Forces equipped for com- 20 bat already located in a foreign country. 21 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 48 hours after ex- 22 ercising the authority under this subsection, the 23 President shall submit to the Speaker of the House 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Aug 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4156.IH H4156 jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 4156 IH of Representatives and to the President pro tempore 1 of the Senate a report, in writing, setting forth— 2 (A) the circumstances necessitating the in- 3 troduction of United States Armed Forces; 4 (B) the constitutional and legislative au- 5 thority under which such introduction took 6 place; and 7 (C) the estimated scope and duration of 8 the hostilities or any other situation described 9 in paragraph (1). 10 (c) OTHER INFORMATION TO BE REPORTED.—The 11 President shall provide such other information as Con- 12 gress may request in the fulfillment of its constitutional 13 responsibilities with respect to exercising the authority 14 under subsection (b). 15 (d) PERIODIC REPORTS; SEMIANNUAL REQUIRE- 16 MENT.—Whenever United States Armed Forces are intro- 17 duced into hostilities or into any other situation described 18 in subsection (b), the President shall, so long as such 19 Armed Forces continue to be engaged in such hostilities 20 or situation, report to Congress periodically on the status 21 of such hostilities or situation as well as on the scope and 22 duration of such hostilities or situation, but in no event 23 shall the President report to Congress less often than once 24 every six months. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Aug 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4156.IH H4156 jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 4156 IH SEC. 3. WAIVER FOR EXISTING OR IMMINENT MILITARY 1 THREAT TO ISRAEL. 2 Section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 3 U.S.C. 2778) is amended by adding at the end the fol- 4 lowing: 5 ‘‘(l) WAIVER FOR EXISTING OR IMMINENT MILITARY 6 THREAT TO ISRAEL.— 7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Upon receiving information 8 that Israel is under an existing or imminent threat 9 of military attack, the President may waive the re- 10 quirements of this Act and direct the immediate 11 transfer to Israel of such defense articles or services 12 the President determines to be necessary to assist 13 Israel in its defense against such threat. Amounts 14 obligated or expended to carry out this paragraph 15 shall not be subject to any limitation in law, or pro- 16 vision of any bilateral agreement, relating to the 17 amount of United States assistance authorized to be 18 made available to Israel. 19 ‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.—As soon as 20 practicable after a transfer of defense articles or 21 services pursuant to the authority provided by para- 22 graph (1), the President shall provide a notification 23 in writing to Congress of the details of such trans- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Aug 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4156.IH H4156 jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 4156 IH fer, consistent with the requirements of section 36 of 1 this Act.’’. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Aug 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H4156.IH H4156 jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS