119-hr3307

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3307 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3307

 To increase cooperation with countries in the Eastern Mediterranean 
region in order to strengthen energy security and defense capabilities, 
 and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 May 8, 2025

Mr. Schneider (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Ms. Titus, Ms. Malliotakis, 
 and Mr. Pappas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To increase cooperation with countries in the Eastern Mediterranean 
region in order to strengthen energy security and defense capabilities, 
 and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

 The purpose of this Act is to support the role of Eastern 
Mediterranean countries as a strategic gateway in the India-Middle 
East-Europe Economic Corridor

    (IMEC) .

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor

    (IMEC) , 
 launched at the G20 Summit in 2023 with G7 backing, enhances 
 connectivity between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe while 
 serving as a strategic alternative to China's Belt and Road 
 Initiative.

    (2) The Eastern Mediterranean region is of strategic 
 importance to the United States and its allies, as demonstrated 
 by the United States founding role in the 3+1 framework with 
 Greece, Israel, and Cyprus.

    (3) Energy projects such as the Great Sea Interconnector, 
 the Gregy Interconnection Project, the Greece-Bulgaria 
 Interconnector, and the LNG terminals in the Eastern 
 Mediterranean play a key role in European energy security and 
 provide critical infrastructure that can serve as the backbone 
 for linking India, the Gulf, and Europe through the Eastern 
 Mediterranean.

    (4) Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, and Israel are key United States 
 partners in promoting stability, security, and economic 
 development in the region.

    (5) Enhanced defense and security cooperation, as well as 
 educational and cultural exchanges, are essential for 
 strengthening bilateral and multilateral ties.

    (6) According to Presidential Determination 2025-03, ``the 
 furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the 
 Republic of Cyprus will strengthen the security of the United 
 States and promote world peace''.

    (7) The statement of policy in the Israel Relations 
 Normalization Act of 2022 (22 U.S.C. 8601 note), notably that 
 it is the policy of the United States ``to expand and 
 strengthen the Abraham Accords to encourage other nations to 
 normalize relations with Israel'', should guide the Secretary 
 of State and other United States actors in their work to 
 promote integration between India, the Middle East and 
 southeast Europe.

    (8) India has strengthened strategic ties with Greece, 
 Israel, and Cyprus, fostering economic, maritime, and security 
 cooperation that aligns with United States regional priorities.

    (9) The success of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic 
 Corridor depends on infrastructure, security, and innovation 
 partnerships rooted in the Eastern Mediterranean region, which 
 serves as the primary connective hub linking the Gulf and 
 Indian subcontinent to Europe.

SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

 It is the sense of Congress that--

    (1) the significance of diplomatic initiatives such as the 
 Greece-Cyprus-Israel-US ``3+1'' format, the East Mediterranean 
 Gas Forum and the Abraham Accords should be recognized and the 
 United States should maintain its leadership role in these 
 diplomatic initiatives;

    (2) the United States should continue to actively 
 participate in the initiatives of the East Mediterranean Gas 
 Forum;

    (3) the Eastern Mediterranean region is a key gateway that 
 can link three continents and the United States should support 
 energy and transportation infrastructure, connectivity 
 initiatives, defense cooperation, and other forms of 
 integration in and around the region;

    (4) the United States recognizes the unique role of Eastern 
 Mediterranean countries as both a distinct subregion and a 
 central connector within the broader IMEC corridor;

    (5) the ``3+1'' diplomatic initiative should resume with a 
 meeting of the Secretary of State with the Ministers of Israel, 
 Greece, and Cyprus; and

    (6) the statement of policy in 

section 203 of the Eastern 
 Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 (22 
 U.S.C. 2373 note) should guide the Secretary of State in 
 promoting connectivity between India, the Middle East and 
 Europe, including participation in the trilateral dialogue on 
 energy, maritime security, cyber security and protection of 
 critical infrastructure conducted among Israel, Greece, and 
 Cyprus.

SEC. 5. DIPLOMACY IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN REGION.

    (a) Strategic Dialogues.--The Secretary of State may 
institutionalize multilateral strategic dialogues between the United 
States and IMEC countries, including dedicated formats with Eastern 
Mediterranean countries, with which the United States has a bilateral 
strategic dialogue.

    (b) Prioritization of the Eastern Mediterranean.--The Secretary of 
State shall prioritize the Eastern Mediterranean region in United 
States foreign policy, focusing on energy security and defense 
cooperation with countries in such region.

SEC. 6. REPORTS AND STUDIES.

    (a) Report on Implementation.--Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing 
the implementation and effect of this Act, including an update on 
energy projects and defense cooperation that are being carried out 
pursuant to the authorities of this Act and the amendments made by this 
Act.

    (b) Report on Multilateral Initiatives.--Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 
shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on 
each multilateral initiative between the United States and IMEC 
countries.
            (c) Analysis of Cyprus Centre for Land, Open Seas, and Port 
Security.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, shall analyze insights gained from the operation of 
the Cyprus Centre for Land, Open Seas, and Port Security (in this 
section referred to as ``CYCLOPS'') as a potential model for broad-
based multilateral cooperation.
            (d) Study of Program Creation and Expansion.--Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
State, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees a report describing the cost 
of, steps to, and feasibility of--

    (1) creating bilateral programs with Eastern Mediterranean 
 countries modeled on bilateral programs between the United 
 States and Israel, including--
        (A) the Binational Agriculture Research and 
 Development Fund;
        (B) the United States-Israel Binational Industrial 
 Research and Development Foundation (including projects 
 relating to homeland security and cyber security);
            (C) the United States-Israel Binational Science 
 Foundation; and
            (D) the United States-Israel Science and Technology 
 Foundation; and

    (2) expanding bilateral programs between the United States 
 and Israel, including the programs listed in paragraph

    (1) , to 
 include other Eastern Mediterranean countries and IMEC 
 countries.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
 ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the 
 Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
 Representatives; and
        (B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
 and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

    (2) Eastern mediterranean country.--The term ``Eastern 
 Mediterranean country'' means the following:
        (A) The Arab Republic of Egypt.
        (B) The Hellenic Republic.
            (C) The Republic of Cyprus.
            (D) The State of Israel.

    (3) IMEC country.--The term ``IMEC country'' means the 
 following:
        (A) The European Union.
        (B) The Federal Republic of Germany.
            (C) The French Republic.
            (D) The Italian Republic.
        (E) The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
        (F) The Republic of India.
        (G) The United Arab Emirates.
        (H) The United States.
            (I) Any other country that the Secretary of State 
 designates as an IMEC country for purposes of this Act.
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