The Senate failed to advance the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Tuesday, stalling a defense policy bill containing a sweeping proposal for U.S.-Israel military technology cooperation. The plan has drawn intense online opposition from Americans who call it “treason,” arguing that it would compromise U.S. sovereignty and warn that it could expose sensitive technology and intelligence to a foreign government. One day later, just 104 House lawmakers and only one Republican voted on a failed amendment on a different bill to cut $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel. The Senate did not vote on final passage of the NDAA or directly on Section 1217. Senators instead voted on whether to begin debating the bill. The motion failed 50-46 because it needed 60 votes to advance. Democrats primarily cited the war with Iran and the bill’s proposed defense spending increase, although some senators had also demanded debate on its U.S.-Israel military cooperation provisions.
How the Senate Vote Broke Down
The cloture motion failed 50-46, falling 10 votes short of the 60 required. All 50 votes to advance the bill came from Republicans. The opposition included 43 Democrats, independent Sens. Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). Thune voted no to preserve his ability to seek reconsideration.
