SOUNDING THE HORN: THE CONDUCTOR’S BRIEF: (A fast, clear summary of the key takeaways to keep you informed on the go)
The Senate voted 50-46 today to block the FY2027 NDAA. The bill that would permanently fuse our military with Israel’s is stalled. For now.
Section 1217, the U.S.-Israel military merger provision, is still inside the bill. It was not stripped. It was not debated. It was not voted on separately. The block was over Iran war funding. The merger survived untouched.
New detail: a companion provision, Section 619 of the Intelligence Authorization Act, would severely limit the President's ability to restrict intelligence sharing with Israel, even over human rights abuses. Full breakdown below.
The Defense Intelligence Agency recently described Israeli intelligence collection efforts on American soil as a significant counterintelligence concern. The word they used was “unhinged.”
Rep. Adam Smith, one of the four key conference committee decision-makers, formally withdrew his support for the provision in writing. He changed his position because constituents called. Proof that the pressure works.
The NDAA has passed every single year for 62 consecutive years. It will come back. Whether or not Section 1217 depends entirely on you.
Call (202) 224-3121. Ask for Rogers, Smith, Wicker, and Reed. The scripts are below.
I have to be honest with you. When I first saw the headline, I let out a long exhale.
Finally.
The United States Senate voted 50-46 today to block the advancement of the FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act, the must-pass defense bill with Section 1217 buried inside it. The provision that would permanently fuse our military with Israel’s. The provision Netanyahu called his plan.
Blocked. For now.
And I mean that, for now, with every ounce of intention I have.
Section 1217 is still in the bill. It was not stripped. It was not debated. It was not voted on separately. The NDAA was blocked on a procedural cloture vote, meaning the Senate couldn’t even open debate, and the primary reason Democrats cited was Trump’s war on Iran, not Section 1217 specifically.
Because here is what the headlines are not telling you.
A companion provision, Section 619 of the Intelligence Authorization Act, would severely limit the President's ability to restrict intelligence sharing with Israel, even over human rights concerns. The President would be required to prove a counterintelligence necessity before withholding any information. This, combined with Section 1217, creates a framework of permanent, legally protected integration that no future president or Congress can easily undo.
Two bills. One package. Designed together to make this relationship permanent and unreviewable.
The merger is still sitting in that bill like an Alpha-gal tick, waiting for the moment Democrats and Republicans cut a deal on Iran war funding and bring the NDAA back to the floor.
And they will bring it back.
So this is a victory, a real one, and I want you to feel it for a moment, but it is not the end. It is a window. And windows close.
HERE’S WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
Senators Chris Van Hollen, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, and Peter Welch led the charge, urging colleagues in a letter not to advance the NDAA before its most dangerous provisions could be properly debated. “As Senate Democrats,” they wrote, “we should not be providing votes compelling Trump to deepen the US relationship with Netanyahu’s extremist government.”
Every Democrat voted no, except two who weren’t present: Jon Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Alex Padilla of California.
Figures.
Sorry. Speaking as a Californian, I’m no fan of Padilla.
But I digress.
The motion needed 60 votes to advance. It got 50.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the bill “a permission slip” for the Trump administration to continue military operations against Iran without congressional oversight.
That’s the stated reason. Iran. Not Section 1217 specifically. Which means the moment the Iran standoff gets negotiated, and it will, this bill comes right back. With the merger still inside it.
And here is what makes that even more alarming. The Defense Intelligence Agency recently described Israeli intelligence collection efforts on American soil as a significant counterintelligence concern. The word they used, in documents obtained through public reporting, was “unhinged.”
Our own intelligence agency. Calling our closest ally’s intelligence operations on our soil, unhinged.
And Congress wants to deepen that relationship. Permanently. With two interlocking bills designed together so that no future president or Congress can easily undo either one.
ADAM SMITH… ON THE RECORD
Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, one of the four key conference committee decision-makers, has now formally and publicly withdrawn his support for the provision. In writing. On the record.
“I cannot support endless conflict even though I support Israel’s right to exist,” Smith said. “For these reasons, I will vote to remove Section 224 from the National Defense Authorization Act if it comes to the Floor.”
That happened because you called. Because you wrote. Because you showed up.
One of the four people holding the knife put it down.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO RIGHT NOW?
You keep going. Here’s why.
The NDAA will come back. It always does, it has been passed every single year for 62 consecutive years. The question is whether Section 1217 survives the next attempt, and that depends entirely on whether the pressure holds.
The four people who still matter most:
Mike Rogers — House Armed Services Committee Chair (Alabama)
Adam Smith — House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member (Washington) — already flipped. Thank him. Then tell him to hold the line.
Roger Wicker — Senate Armed Services Committee Chair (Mississippi)
Jack Reed — Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member (Rhode Island)
One number reaches all four: (202) 224-3121
Here is a separate script tailored to each person:
CALLING MIKE ROGERS (House Armed Services Committee Chair, Alabama) (202) 224-3121 — ask for Rep. Mike Rogers
“Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am calling from [YOUR CITY, STATE].
I am calling to demand that Representative Rogers use his position as House Armed Services Committee Chair to strip Section 219 from the FY2027 NDAA before it comes back to the floor.
The Senate just blocked the bill 50-46. This is the moment to remove the U.S.-Israel military merger provision entirely. Do not renegotiate it. Remove it.
Section 219 was never given a recorded floor vote. The American people deserve one. What is Representative Rogers’ position on stripping Section 219?”
Write down exactly what they say. Post it.
CALLING ADAM SMITH (House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member, Washington) (202) 224-3121 — ask for Rep. Adam Smith
“Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am calling from [YOUR CITY, STATE].
I am calling to thank Representative Smith for withdrawing his support for Section 219 and to urge him to hold that line.
The Senate just blocked the NDAA 50-46. This is the moment to make sure Section 219 is stripped entirely before this bill comes back to the floor.
We are watching. And we are grateful. Please hold the line.”
Write down exactly what they say. Post it.
CALLING ROGER WICKER (Senate Armed Services Committee Chair, Mississippi) (202) 224-3121 — ask for Sen. Roger Wicker
“Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am calling from [YOUR CITY, STATE].
I am calling to demand that Senator Wicker use his position as Senate Armed Services Committee Chair to strip Section 1217 from the FY2027 NDAA before it returns to the Senate floor.
The bill was blocked 50-46 today. That is the American people speaking. Section 1217 would permanently fuse our military with Israel’s, forbid the President from limiting intelligence sharing with Israel even over human rights abuses, and place a foreign government’s military interests permanently beyond the reach of future elections or appropriations votes.
No other ally has ever been given this. Not the UK. Not Canada. Not any NATO partner.
Strip Section 1217. What is Senator Wicker’s position?”
Write down exactly what they say. Post it.
CALLING JACK REED (Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member, Rhode Island) (202) 224-3121 — ask for Sen. Jack Reed
“Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am calling from [YOUR CITY, STATE].
I am calling to urge Senator Reed to join his House colleague, Rep. Adam Smith, and formally withdraw support for Section 1217 of the FY2027 NDAA.
The Senate just blocked the bill 50-46. Democrats held the line today. Now I am asking Senator Reed to go one step further and demand that Section 1217 be stripped entirely before this bill returns to the floor.
80% of Democrats have an unfavorable view of Israel. 84% of all Americans want either a halt or conditions on weapons transfers. Senator Reed’s constituents are watching this vote.
Will Senator Reed publicly commit to stripping Section 1217? What is his position?”
Write down exactly what they say. Post it.
ONE RULE FOR ALL FOUR CALLS:
Do not let a staffer give you a non-answer. If they say “the Senator is reviewing the legislation” or “we will pass along your concerns,” respond with:
“I appreciate that. I will be posting this call on social media today. Can you confirm for the record that you have received my request that [NAME] strip Section 219/1217 from the NDAA?”
That one follow-up question turns every call into a documented, public record.
Then share this post. Because the people who want this merger are counting on you thinking the fight is over.
It isn’t.
The concrete is still wet. Keep your boots on.
READ THE FULL SERIES:
Whose Army Is It, Anyway? — June 5, 2026
Whose Army Is It, Anyway?
SOUNDING THE HORN: THE CONDUCTOR’S BRIEF (A fast, clear summary of the key takeaways to keep you informed on the go)
A Plan in the Dark — July 7, 2026
The Clock Just Restarted — July 14, 2026
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From:
Flock, Axon, Israel, and American Freedom
https://gregreese.substack.com/p/flock-axon-israel-and-american-freedom?publication_id=706779&post_id=207037910&r=456yya&triedRedirect=true&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
"Section 219 in the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) establishes the “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative,” which will deeply integrate Israeli technologies, including AI, cyber, and autonomous systems, into U.S. defense procurement. Because Axon is an American company operating an R&D lab in Tel Aviv, the passing of this bill would make it easier for Axon to pursue federal U.S. military contracts using technology built by its Israeli engineers.
By permanently embedding Israeli-designed software, quantum computing frameworks, and AI systems into the bedrock of the U.S. military, the U.S. becomes structurally dependent on a foreign power for its own defense. The “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative” in the 2027 NDAA is designed to “lock in” these technological partnerships. If a future U.S. President or Congress wanted to halt military aid to Israel due to human rights abuses or policy disagreements, doing so would become incredibly difficult because the U.S. military’s own systems would be codependent on Israeli code and components."