A Senate Democrat said Thursday that Congress is determined to figure out a way to increase funding for Israeli’s missile defense in the fiscal 2017 budget.
Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., told reporters that investing in Israel’s missile defense not only helps a key ally in the region but also improves U.S. safety by tapping into Israeli knowledge of missile defense systems.
“From the initial numbers that the president gave, there’s significant room for increase,” Donnelly said, speaking of President Obama’s budget request. “It’s an investment not only in a friend, but also in making us safer.”
Donnelly spoke to reporters after returning from a delegation he led to Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Spain. Donnelly met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his trip.
The president’s budget for fiscal 2017 requests about $150 million in missile defense spending for Israel, but Donnelly confirmed that current conversations among lawmakers are “in the neighborhood” of $600 million, representing a significant increase.
Asked what programs would take a cut to cover an increase for Israel, Donnelly said he wasn’t sure yet but that lawmakers would work to find an answer.
“I think you’ll see a very serious determination to figure out exactly where. We haven’t seen that location yet, but that’s certainly something we consider a really strong and positive investment,” he said.
