Congress: 108 · Status: active · Israel/Palestine classification: pro-Israel
Data (JSON) — machine-readable record of this bill (identifiers, sponsor, classification, actions, and the member-by-member vote breakdown).
Official record on Congress.gov — full text, actions, and cosponsor history for HR 1454.
Sponsor: Vitter, David (R-LA)
Defense Against Regional Threats Act of 2003 - Declares that it is U.S. policy to: (1) provide for deployment as soon as technologically possible of missile defense systems capable of defending Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and all member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization against ballistic missile attack; and (2) seek continued negotiated burdensharing agreements with such countries to share the costs of development and deployment of ballistic missile defense systems.
The bill declares U.S. policy to deploy missile defense systems to protect Israel, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and NATO allies against ballistic missile attacks, and to negotiate cost-sharing agreements with these countries to fund the development and deployment of such systems.
This establishes a formal commitment to provide Israel with advanced missile defense capabilities and positions the U.S. to fund part of the technology, locking in a defense partnership on a specific military technology. The declaration of policy signals congressional intent and can influence future appropriations and military cooperation agreements.