Iron Dome Funding Approved

The Senate this morning passed by unanimous consent a bill that would provide $225 million for the Pentagon to replenish Israel's Iron Dome rocket-defense system.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) said in a statement:

"It's right that we help our friends in Israel and adopt the Reid-McConnell-Mikulski amendment to replenish Iron Dome. It's crucial that Israel has the opportunity to defend itself while others are working on ceasefires or political solutions. As a treasured ally, it's important that we enable Israel to guard themselves against Hamas.

"Israel is under attack, and it's under attack by a terrorist group that denies its very right to exist. And it's under attack by an organization called Hamas that is sending thousands of rockets toward Israeli cities and towns, targeting innocent civilians. The most crucial of short-range missiles is a technology called Iron Dome.

"I am committed to the protection of Israel and I am more committed to the Iron Dome than ever. Iron Dome is a high-tech defensive system. It's not an offensive system. Israeli citizens are being bombarded with missile after missile. The money that we've approved today is needed to replace interceptor rockets for the critical Iron Dome missile defense system. Iron Dome is already saving lives and protecting towns and cities from the more than 2,700 rockets fired by Hamas in the last few weeks. Israel is an essential American ally and needs these assets to defend itself. By investing in this program, we are protecting civilians and helping to maintain Israel's qualitative military edge."