CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

RepublicanAmendment · S.Amdt. 3425· Senate(119-SAMDT-3425)

S.Amdt. 3425

Rep. Ernst
Age: 56 years
Iowa
Introduced
8/1/2025
Sponsored by
Joni Ernst
Cosponsors
None
Changes bill
119-S-2296 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
  1. Introduced
  2. Pending Consideration

What this amendment would do

SA 3425, submitted by Ms. Ernst, aims to add a new section to bill S. 2296 to create the Middle East Defense Technology Innovation Cooperation Initiative. This initiative is designed to establish a cooperation network between the United States and defense innovation partners in the Middle East.

The amendment seeks to add the following to the bill:

  • Primary Goals: The initiative intends to create a community of defense innovation entities to procure commercial technology, develop compatible solutions, build innovation capacity, and strengthen security through co-development, co-production, and co-sustainment.

  • Purpose and Focus: It aims to address shared challenges from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran-backed threats (such as Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah), and other violent extremist organizations in the U.S. Central Command area. The focus will be on advanced intelligence, unmanned systems (aerial, underwater, and surface vehicles), and technology to counter those unmanned systems.

  • Partnership Levels:

    • Exploratory Partnerships: Focus on convening events, exchanging information on commercial technology acquisition, and sharing lessons on prototyping and scaling solutions during military conflicts.
    • Mature Partnerships: The Secretary of Defense must determine within one year if it is feasible to enter mature partnerships, which could include signing cooperation agreements, exchanging liaison officers, using dual-use accelerators or prize challenges, and soliciting solutions from companies in partner countries.

  • Defined Partners: The designated partners in the Middle East include Israel, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and any other country in the U.S. Central Command area selected by the Secretary of Defense.

  • Accountability and Protection: The Secretary of Defense must report the implementation of exploratory partnerships and the feasibility determination to the House and Senate Committees on Armed Services. Additionally, the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Commerce must ensure the intellectual property of U.S. companies is protected from foreign actors.