House Passes Boyle Bill Strengthening U.S.-Israel Cooperation on High-Tech Weapons

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA-13)'s legislation, H.R. 4707, the Procure PGMS for Israel Act, as part of H.R. 5141, the U.S. Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018. Congressman Boyle's bill strengthens the cooperation between the United States and Israel on high-tech weapons. The bill requires a joint assessment between the United States and the Government of Israel on the quantity and type of PGMs required for Israel to be prepared in any attack, authorizes transfer of PGMs to Israel from the U.S. War Reserve Stockpile in Israel, and amends the Department of Defense's acquisition procedures to speed up production of precision-guided munitions. PGMs are guided projectiles that can reach precise targets with significant accuracy and decrease collateral damage to save civilian lives. Congressman Boyle released the following statement upon the passage of his provision as part of the U.S. Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act:

"Israelis live each day under the threat of attack by rockets, missiles, and armed drones. We must be exceedingly vigilant about the constant threat they face from bad actors in the region, such as Hezbollah and Hamas. That means improving access to our most advanced weaponry for Israel's military in the event of a deadly conflict. Israel is our steadfast ally and the only strong democracy in the Middle East. Passage of this provision will ensure the U.S. stockpile in Israel includes the latest precision-guided munitions, at the ready and within reach for Israeli forces, significantly improving their security capabilities and safeguarding millions of lives – an insurance policy I hope we never have to use."

Congressman Boyle serves as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, its Subcommittee on the Middle East and North African, and Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

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