Congress has been a bedrock of support for the U.S.-Israel relationship by supporting aid, helping stop Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability, supporting Israel's right to defend itself and reinforcing American policy that peace will only be achieved through direct negotiations. Below are the current legislative priorities that will strengthen American and Israeli security and the bonds that unite these two allies.
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The House on May 17 passed a resolution (H. Res. 568) by a resounding vote of 401-11 affirming that it is U.S. policy to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability and opposing any reliance on a policy seeking to contain a nuclear-capable Iran. A similar resolution in the Senate (S. Res. 380) remains pending.
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Senators have introduced the Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Human Rights Act (S. 2101), which would escalate the level of sanctions against the regime’s human rights violators and sharply tighten the enforcement of existing sanctions law.
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The House has passed -- and the Senate is considering -- important legislation to strengthen security cooperation between the United States and Israel.
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President Obama has requested $3.1 billion in security assistance for Israel as part of his budget for fiscal year 2013.