Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie are pushing to repeal a section in the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would deepen military integration between the United States and Israel through the appointment of an “executive agent” to oversee joint technological development and coordination.

The annual NDAA sets the budget for the U.S. military. Section 224 of the latest draft would require the Secretary of Defense to designate an executive agent responsible for synchronizing cooperative efforts between Washington and Tel Aviv, including bilateral defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, integration, and industrial cooperation.

Critics have expressed concern that the measure could make U.S. military aid to Israel less transparent, concealing it as cooperation rather than a separate expense, and that it risks tethering the U.S. military to its Israeli counterpart.

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On Sunday, Khanna said he would use his seat on the House Armed Services Committee to put forward an amendment to remove Section 224 from the bill. His Republican colleague Massie warned that if the bill is approved by the committee, he would work to oppose it on the House floor. Khanna responded to Massie’s post on X, pledging to stand by the Kentucky Republican in opposing Section 224.

Massie, a libertarian, and Khanna, a progressive, have formed an unlikely alliance to push forward anti-war measures and scrutinize U.S.-Israeli policy. They also led the campaign to release government files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The push to remove Section 224 comes amid increased skepticism toward unconditional U.S. support for Israel. A New York Times and Siena College poll this month found that 57% of U.S. voters oppose providing Israel with additional economic and military support, and 62% disapprove of the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict. Israel’s genocidal campaign against Gaza, which began in 2023, has killed more than 75,000 people, prompting widespread condemnation.

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