By Lara Friedman, reposted from Twitter/X, June 4, 2026
HEADS UP! While attention focuses (understandably) on the House effort to legislate new US-Israel military relations via the FY27 NDAA, the Senate is quietly doing something similar via the FY27 Intel Authorization bill. Buckle up — it’s a big deal.
The bill is question is S. 4615, intro’d on 5/20/26 by Cotton (R-AR). Full text is here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4615
S. 4615 includes Section 622, entitled “US-Israel intelligence sharing enhancement.” This *hugely consequential* new section would establish as law (where it would apply forever, unless repealed by Congress) new US national security-related obligations with respect to Israel.
Section 622 includes a Statement of Policy making it US policy:
Section 622 includes a Sense of Congress that:
Section 622 includes legislative requirements for MANDATORY, expansive intelligence sharing with Israel:
Section 622 includes legally binding (and exceedingly narrow) conditions with respect to any future decisions to limit intelligence sharing/cooperation with Israel:
Section 622 includes a requirement for mandatory congressional oversight over any decision to alter intelligence sharing with Israel:
Section 622 includes legislative requirements for MANDATORY expansion of intelligence sharing and cooperation with countries that join the Abraham Accords:
Section 622 includes a requirement for a mandatory annual report to Congress from the President on implementation of this section of law:
Maybe you think this is the best idea ever! Maybe you think it is a terrible idea. Regardless, it is a HUGE deal and arguably should be understood/discussed/debated rather than just quietly slipping into law unnoticed.
Lara Friedman President of Foundation for Middle East Peace is an expert on U.S. foreign policy in the Mideast, anti-Palestinian legislation, and the weaponization of “antisemitism” to target critics of Israel
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