The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its Washington chapter (CAIR-WA) today welcomed Rep. Adam Smith’s (D-WA) announcement that he plans to support efforts to strip the U.S.-Israel Military Merger from the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.
The provision, which Rep. Smith previously supported, would mandate the expansion of U.S.-Israel defense technology integration, research partnerships, intelligence collaboration, and military-industrial integration to an unprecedented scale, effectively forcing future U.S. presidents to make U.S. military technology available to Israel regardless of its human rights violations.
In a statement, CAIR and CAIR-Washington said:
“We welcome the decision of Rep. Smith to reverse his previous support for this pernicious measure that would undermine the will of the American people by forcing future U.S. presidents to integrate U.S military technology with Israel. We urge all other members of Congress to follow suit and oppose the U.S.-Israel Military Merger. The American people have made themselves very clear over the past three years. They do not want our nation’s resources to continue funding and enabling a foreign government’s human rights abuses. Congress must not try to bind the hands of future presidents or undermine the will of the people with this underhanded provision.”
He noted that CAIR welcomed Amendment #2 to the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), submitted by Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Jesús “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
SEE: CAIR Letter Urges House to Strike U.S.-Israel Military Merger and Anti-Boycott Amendment from NDAA
CAIR also urged all Americans to contact their members of Congress and demand opposition to the measure.
SEE: CAIR Action Alert: Tell Congress to Block the U.S.-Israel Military Merger Bills
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CONTACT: Imraan Siddiqi, Executive Director at CAIR-WA, imraansiddiqi@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com