H.R. 7540: United States-Israel FUTURES Act of 2026
Sponsor
Ronny Jackson
Republican · TX-13
Congress wants a standing U.S.-Israel defense tech pipeline
Why it matters
$150 million a year for three years, $450 million in all, to move technology built with Israel out of the lab and into U.S. weapons programs, factories and training. The change is permanence: joint work on drones, missile defense, AI and cyber would run through one standing Pentagon initiative instead of separate one-off deals.
H.R. 7540, the United States-Israel FUTURES Act of 2026, directs the Secretary of Defense to set up a "United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative" with the agreement of Israel's defense minister. It covers the full life of a weapon or tool: research, testing, integration into U.S. systems, purchasing and production.
The initiative's core task is to find technology that Israel developed, or that both countries built together, and move it into the programs the U.S. military already buys and fields. Today that kind of cooperation tends to happen project by project. This bill gives it one standing home.
The bill lists ten areas to start: counter-drone systems on land, sea and air; tunnel detection; missile and air defense, including the Golden Dome for America shield; AI, quantum and autonomous systems; directed energy and advanced sensing; cyber and electronic warfare; biotech and medical defense; battlefield networks and logistics; manufacturing and co-production; and anything else both governments agree on.
It also sets up frameworks for joint ventures, licensing deals and U.S.-based manufacturing with Israeli companies, plus joint training exercises so troops can actually use what gets built. DARPA, the Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Space Command, the Defense Innovation Unit and the military services would all coordinate through it, with the State and Commerce Departments keeping it in line with export rules.
Oversight comes in three layers. Congress gets an early briefing within 180 days, then yearly reports listing which technologies moved into U.S. programs and which partnerships formed. The Pentagon must also post unclassified updates on a public website, minus anything classified or export-controlled.
The bill's opening section states Congress's view that Israel strengthens U.S. military capabilities and the U.S. economy, and that faster integration of Israeli-origin technology serves American interests. In practice, it authorizes $450 million through fiscal 2029 and leaves the initiative itself with no end date.
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Feb 12, 2026
Referred to 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. for review
H.R. 7540 Bill Summary
What H.R. 7540 actually does.
One standing home for U.S.-Israel defense tech
The Secretary of Defense, with Israel's defense minister, creates a named cooperation initiative covering research, testing, integration and industrial work. The initiative has no sunset date.
Israeli-built tech gets a faster route into U.S. arsenals
The program must identify technologies Israel developed or both countries built jointly, and help move them into U.S. systems, existing weapons programs and purchasing pipelines.
Ten target areas, from drones to biotech
Counter-drone systems, tunnel detection, missile and air defense including Golden Dome, AI and quantum, directed energy, cyber and electronic warfare, biotech and medical defense, logistics and networks, manufacturing, and other agreed areas.
Production partnerships on U.S. soil
The initiative sets up frameworks for joint ventures, licensing agreements and U.S.-based co-production or manufacturing with Israeli industry.
Joint training so the gear gets used
The bill promotes joint exercises and information-sharing so both militaries are ready to deploy what they develop together.
Reports to Congress and a public website
A briefing within 180 days, annual reports on transitioned technologies and industry partnerships, and periodic unclassified public updates online. Classified and export-controlled details stay out.
Who benefits from H.R. 7540?
U.S. troops facing drones, missiles and tunnels
The bill's first priorities are threats service members already encounter. A faster path from test to field could put proven counter-drone and air defense tools in their hands sooner.
Defense firms in both countries
Companies working on missile defense, AI, cyber, sensors and biotech get a formal route into U.S. programs, backed by $150 million a year in authorized funding.
American factory workers and suppliers
Co-production and licensing deals are meant to put manufacturing of jointly developed systems in U.S. facilities rather than only overseas.
Researchers at universities and startups
The initiative explicitly includes academic institutions and the private sector in joint research with Israeli counterparts.
Who is affected by H.R. 7540?
Federal taxpayers
$450 million over fiscal years 2027 through 2029. Spread across roughly 160 million federal income tax returns, that works out to about $1 per return per year.
Pentagon offices and the military services
DARPA, the Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Space Command, the Defense Innovation Unit and others must coordinate through the initiative and avoid duplicating existing U.S.-Israel programs.
State and Commerce Department export officials
They must keep the initiative consistent with export controls and existing law, including on technology licensed or co-produced across borders.
Congress's defense committees
Armed Services and Appropriations in both chambers receive the briefings and annual reports and decide whether the oversight is adequate for an initiative with no end date.
Critics of expanded U.S. military ties with Israel
The initiative reaches past missile defense into AI, quantum, cyber and industrial partnerships, which is likely to draw objections from members who want tighter conditions on U.S. support.
Cost & Funding
Authorization
H.R. 7540 authorizes $150 million per year for fiscal years 2027, 2028 and 2029, $450 million total.
- Scale check: $150 million is roughly 3 to 4 percent of the $3.8 billion a year the U.S. provides Israel under the 2016 aid agreement the bill cites.
- Per taxpayer: $150 million across roughly 160 million federal income tax returns is about $1 per return each year.
- This is an authorization, not a check. Congress must still appropriate the money in annual spending bills.
- No CBO cost estimate has been published for the bill.
HR7540 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Feb 12, 2026
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.
About the Sponsor
Ronny Jackson
Republican, Texas's 13th congressional district · 5 years in Congress
Committees: Foreign Affairs, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Armed Services
View full profile →
Cosponsors (53)
This bill has 53 cosponsors: 13 Democrats, 40 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 25 states: Alabama, California, Florida, and 22 more.
Donald Davis
Democrat · NC
Brian Fitzpatrick
Republican · PA
Michael Lawler
Republican · NY
Josh Gottheimer
Democrat · NJ
Rudy Yakym
Republican · IN
Laura Gillen
Democrat · NY
Nicholas Langworthy
Republican · NY
Craig Goldman
Republican · TX
Claudia Tenney
Republican · NY
Andy Barr
Republican · KY
Christopher Smith
Republican · NJ
Gus Bilirakis
Republican · FL
Committee Sponsors
Foreign Affairs Committee
9 of 53 committee members cosponsored
Armed Services Committee
8 of 57 committee members cosponsored
43 Republicans across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 7540 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Foreign Affairs
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- International Affairs
- Introduced
- Feb 12, 2026
Referred to 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. for review
Feb 12, 2026
Official Sources
Official record of the United States-Israel FUTURES Act of 2026, with bill text, cosponsors and committee referrals to Armed Services and Foreign Affairs.
White House fact sheet on the 10-year, $38 billion aid agreement the bill cites, including the $500 million a year set aside for cooperative missile defense.
Congressional Research Service overview of U.S. military assistance to Israel, the funding stream this initiative would sit alongside.
Congressional Research Service explainer on Golden Dome, the homeland missile defense shield named as one of the initiative's ten technology areas.
The January 2025 order that launched the missile defense shield later renamed Golden Dome, including a directive to deepen technology sharing with allies.
MDA's page on partner programs, including Arrow, David's Sling and Iron Dome co-production with Israel, which the initiative must coordinate with.
The Pentagon office that brings commercial technology into military use, one of the components the bill directs the initiative to coordinate with.
The Pentagon's advanced research agency, named in the bill as a partner for aligning joint research and avoiding duplication.
H.R. 7540 Common Questions
What is the United States-Israel FUTURES Act?
It's H.R. 7540, introduced by Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX). It creates a standing Pentagon program with Israel to move jointly developed or Israeli-built defense technology into U.S. weapons programs, production and training faster.
How much does H.R. 7540 cost?
It authorizes $150 million a year for fiscal years 2027 through 2029, $450 million total. Congress would still have to appropriate the money, and no CBO estimate has been published.
Is this new aid to Israel?
Not directly. The money funds a Pentagon-run cooperation program, not a transfer to Israel's government. It sits alongside the separate 10-year aid agreement the two countries signed in 2016, which the bill cites.
Does H.R. 7540 include Golden Dome?
Yes. Missile and air defense, including Golden Dome for America, is one of the ten named areas. Counter-drone systems and tunnel detection are listed alongside it.
Would weapons be built in the United States?
The bill aims for it. The initiative sets up frameworks for joint ventures, licensing deals and U.S.-based co-production or manufacturing with Israeli companies, though it doesn't require any specific production to move here.
Does the program ever end?
The funding covers three years, but the initiative has no sunset date. Annual reports continue indefinitely, and the Pentagon must recommend future priorities and resource needs each year.
Can the public see what the program does?
Partly. The Pentagon must post periodic unclassified updates on a public website. Classified details and export-controlled technology stay out, and reports to Congress can include a classified annex.
Does H.R. 7540 have bipartisan support?
Yes. It has 53 cosponsors, 40 Republicans and 13 Democrats. It's waiting in the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees, which haven't acted since February 2026.
Based on H.R. 7540 bill text
H.R. 7540 Bill Text
“To enhance bilateral defense cooperation between the United States and Israel, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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