USIEA Marks 15 Years of Congressional Israel Trips, Helping Triple Iron Dome Funding
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 8
USIEA Marks 15 Years of Congressional Israel Trips, Helping Triple Iron Dome Funding
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 8
Summary
USIEA said its 15 years of taking U.S. lawmakers to Israel helped sustain the U.S.-Israel alliance by giving Congress firsthand exposure to security, technology and regional threats.
Five House Armed Services Committee members on the group's first tour saw the then-classified Iron Dome system in 2011, and less than three months later lawmakers tripled its budget after briefing 54 colleagues in Washington.
Benjamin Netanyahu, former Ambassador David Friedman and current Ambassador Mike Huckabee credited the trips with deepening support for joint projects and showing Israel's value to the U.S. in defense, technology and medicine.
Huckabee said that cooperation has recently extended to joint operations against Iran in 2025 and during a six-and-a-half-week campaign this year, underscoring Johnston's argument that the group's mission is growing as the alliance broadens.