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H.R. 10796House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Act

Sponsored by Don BaconRep. Don Bacon (R-NE)
Introduced October 13, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 14, 2026 at 8:19 AM UTC

The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to appoint an executive agent who will coordinate and accelerate defense‑technology cooperation between the United States and Israel. The agent will identify useful Israeli technologies, protect sensitive information, and help move joint projects into U.S. procurement and production. The effort covers a wide range of areas such as missile defense, AI, cyber, and biotechnology, and it involves regular reporting to Congress and public updates.

Key Provisions

  • The Secretary of Defense must designate an executive agent to synchronize U.S.–Israel defense technology collaboration.
  • The agent will identify Israeli‑origin technologies that can be integrated into U.S. systems, protect classified information, and facilitate transition from research to acquisition.
  • It will set up joint ventures, licensing, and U.S.‑based co‑production with Israeli industry, and coordinate with DoD components like DARPA, the Missile Defense Agency, and U.S. Space Command.
  • Cooperation will focus on areas including counter‑unmanned systems, missile and air defense, AI/quantum/autonomous systems, directed energy, cyber/electronic warfare, biotechnology, and defense industrial base partnerships.
  • The Secretary of Defense must coordinate the effort with the Secretaries of State, Commerce, and other relevant agencies.
  • An interim briefing is required within 180 days of enactment, and an annual unclassified report (with possible classified annex) must be submitted to the congressional defense committees.
  • The DoD must post periodic unclassified updates on a public website, while safeguarding classified or export‑controlled information.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Armed Services Committee

October 13, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 13, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Armed Services Committee

October 13, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 13, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10796

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 13, 2026

Mr. Bacon introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Defense to designate an executive agent responsible for synchronizing cooperative efforts between the United States and Israel, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Act.

2.

United States–Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary of Defense shall designate an executive agent, as such term is defined in Department of Defense Directive 5101.01 (relating to DoD Executive Agent, issued February 7, 2022), responsible for synchronizing cooperative efforts between the United States and Israel, to expand and accelerate bilateral defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, and industrial cooperation, by—

(1)

identifying jointly developed or Israeli-origin technologies with operational utility for potential integration into United States systems and programs of record;

(2)

ensuring collaborative research initiatives involving government, private sector, and academic institutions in the United States and Israel, is done in a manner that protects sensitive technology and information and the national security interests of the United States and Israel;

(3)

facilitating the transition of technologies from research and development into procurement and acquisition pathways;

(4)

establishing frameworks for joint ventures, licensing agreements, and United States-based co-production or manufacturing partnerships with Israeli industry;

(5)

coordinating with relevant Department of Defense components, including the Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate, capability development and innovation divisions, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Defense Innovation Unit, the United States-Israel Operations Technology Working Group, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Missile Defense Agency, the United States Space Command, the military departments, and other Department of Defense entities, as appropriate, to align efforts and avoid duplication; and

(6)

promoting joint training exercises and information-sharing mechanisms to enhance operational readiness to deploy jointly developed technologies.

(b)

Cooperative efforts

The synchronized cooperative efforts under subsection (a) may be carried out through the following domains:

(1)

Counter-Unmanned Systems including aerial, maritime, and ground platforms.

(2)

Anti-tunneling and subterranean threats.

(3)

Missile and air defense technologies.

(4)

Artificial intelligence, quantum, machine learning, and autonomous systems.

(5)

Directed energy and advanced sensing.

(6)

Cyber defense, electronic warfare, and digital resilience.

(7)

Biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and medical defense.

(8)

Networks, data fusion, and contested logistics.

(9)

Defense industrial base cooperation, manufacturing, and co-production.

(10)

Other emerging technologies as jointly agreed by the United States and Israel.

(c)

Activities in coordination with other federal departments and agencies

The Secretary of Defense shall coordinate activities, as appropriate, with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, to ensure consistency with existing laws and regulations.

(d)

Interim progress update

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees an interim briefing on—

(1)

the executive agent designated pursuant to subsection (a) and the efforts undertaken by such executive agent to lead Department of Defense implementation of the synchronized cooperative efforts described in such subsection;

(2)

the status of coordination, Department-wide, with Israeli counterparts;

(3)

initial technology areas identified for accelerated cooperation and technologies with operational utility for United States systems and programs of record; and

(4)

any early transition, prototyping, or integration activities initiated during the period covered by the update.

(e)

Annual report

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the date on which there is no longer an executive agent designated under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on implementation of the cooperative efforts described in subsection (a). Each such report shall include—

(1)

a description of activities conducted;

(2)

an assessment of progress made in advancing shared national security interests;

(3)

an assessment of collaboration with other relevant Federal programs;

(4)

a description of technologies transitioned into United States acquisition programs or fielded systems;

(5)

a description of partnerships established with United States and Israeli industry; and

(6)

recommendations for future opportunities to promote the long-term joint capabilities between the United States and Israel.

(f)

Form

Each report required under subsection (e) shall be submitted in unclassified form and may include a classified annex.

(g)

Public transparency

The Secretary of Defense shall make available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense periodic, unclassified updates, to the maximum extent practicable, on the synchronized cooperative efforts carried out under subsection (a), including a description of how these efforts contribute to United States technological and military supremacy. Such updates shall be made in a manner that ensures that classified information or other information that would compromise operational security, export controls, or sensitive technology are not released.

(h)

Congressional defense committees defined

In this section, the term congressional defense committees has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.