By: Julian Pecquet, Congressional Correspondent for Al-Monitor

Al-Monitor

Congress and the Barack Obama administration are once again on a collision course over missile defense aid for Israel as lawmakers begin to mark up their Defense bills for the next fiscal year.

The House Armed Services Committee on April 27 took up an annual Defense bill that would authorize $332 million for Iron Dome and other defensive systems, more than double the $145.8 million included in the Department of Defense request. Meanwhile, the purse-string holders in the Senate have made it clear that they will seek a substantial increase over the Pentagon's request, which is on top of the $1.3 billion in annual military assistance to Israel under a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that expires in 2018.

"For the past three years, we've been spending about $600 million to help their missile defense program," Senate Defense Appropriations panel member Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Al-Monitor. "I want to lock that in if we can."

Last month, 30 members of both parties signed on to a letter to Defense appropriations leaders Thad Cochran, R-Miss., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., urging them to meet and exceed Obama's budget request. The letter was spearheaded by Sens. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.

"In recent years, Congress has appropriated funding for these programs that met our ally's needs, even when that exceeded the president's budget request," they wrote. "We ask that you again consider funding these programs at a level that will meet Israel's national security needs."

And this month, Graham spearheaded his own letter to President Obama informing him of lawmakers' intention to beef up missile defense assistance. The letter, co-authored by Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., garnered 83 signatures, including those of both Senate leaders and top appropriators, indicating broad bipartisan support.

"We intend to consider increasing US funding in FY17 for cooperative missile defense programs," the lawmakers wrote, "much as we have done over the past several years."

Like the March letter to appropriators, this one cites threats to Israel from Tehran, Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Islamic State in the Sinai as key concerns justifying increased support for missile defense assistance.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter defended his department's request in a hearing before the Senate Defense Appropriations panel on April 27.

"To continue to meet our commitments and enhance our cooperation with our friends and allies in the region, especially Israel, the budget makes critical investments — including $146 million to support Israel in FY 2017," Carter wrote in his prepared testimony. "This reflects our unshakeable commitment to Israel and its security, with funding for Iron Dome, David's Sling, Arrow and other cooperative defense programs — not only ensuring that Israel can defend itself, but also preserving and enhancing Israel's qualitative military edge, which is a cornerstone of our defense relationship."

Lawmakers think that's not near enough. The annual House Defense authorization bill, which is expected to pass the House Armed Services Committee overnight, would authorize up to $62 million for the short-range Iron Dome system and $150 million and $120 million, respectively, for the David's Sling and Arrow 3 systems, for a total of $332 million.

Congress is likely to prevail, if past performance is any indication.

Last year, the Pentagon asked for $158 million for Israel missile defense and Congress appropriated $487 million. And in FY 2015, lawmakers turned the department's $273 million request into a $620 million appropriation, according to the Congressional Research Service. Lawmakers were even more generous in FY 2014, appropriating $729 million for the program.

The budget battle comes as the Obama administration and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are negotiating a new 10-year MOU. Some advocates for increased aid have suggested continuing to keep missile defense out of the MOU to avoid bogging it down since Congress will likely continue to fund it separately, but some lawmakers are keen to see the funding stream institutionalized.

"I think we ought to have a Memorandum of Understanding that meets the reality of the Israeli defense needs," Graham said. "But it's up to the Israelis and the [Obama] administration."

Asked about the Defense Department's low-ball request, Graham said the Obama administration can present a lower budget while knowing that Congress will fill any needs.

"This is a game they play," Graham said. "We're far more realistic about Israel's defense needs than they are. And they know we're going to meet them."

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