Gottheimer unveils House legislation to strengthen US-Israel joint defense on unmanned systems

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer has proposed new legislation in the House designed to boost cooperative efforts with Israel to address emerging military dangers, notably from unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.7178 was introduced on Jan. 21, 2026, during the 2026 session of the 119th Congress. Below is a summary based on the official bill text and further clarification of its core elements.

This measure seeks to update the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 in order to increase collaboration between the U.S. and Israel on countering unmanned and other military threats, particularly those originating from Iran. The bill highlights the growing risk from Iranian drones and reconnaissance equipment, which have been used against U.S. forces and partners in the Middle East. It calls for expanded joint research, development and deployment of counter-unmanned technologies, as well as steps to enhance information-sharing and mutual military training. Funding for these initiatives would increase from $55 million to $100 million, and the bill also requires annual progress and threat reports. The primary goal is to further solidify U.S.-Israel defense ties and enhance preparedness for advanced aerial threats.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (Democrat-NJ-5th District) sponsored the bill, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Don Bacon (Republican-NJ-2nd District), Rep. Juan Ciscomani (Republican-NJ-6th District), Rep. Donald G. Davis (Democrat-NJ-1st District), and nine other lawmakers.

Rep. Gottheimer has introduced 50 other bills since the current congressional session began.

Congressional bills may be introduced in either the House or the Senate, except for revenue bills, which must originate in the House. After a bill is introduced, it is referred to committees for consideration, hearings, amendments, and debate, before it can proceed to votes in both chambers. Both the House and Senate must agree on the same bill language for it to be sent to the president, who can sign it into law or issue a veto. Congress operates on two-year cycles, with each term numbered and split into two sessions. Official bill records and legislative details are available through Congress.gov.

Josh S. Gottheimer, a Democrat representing New Jersey, has served in the U.S. House since his first term began on Jan. 3, 2017. He holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania (1997) and a J.D. from Harvard Law School (2004).

Information in this article was sourced from the U.S. Congress. The original data is available here.