[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3792 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3792
To modify and extend certain authorities relating to cooperation
between the United States and Israel, expand and strengthen the Abraham
Accords, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 1, 2023
Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Phillips, Mr. McCaul,
Mr. Meeks, Mr. Baird, and Mr. Allred) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To modify and extend certain authorities relating to cooperation
between the United States and Israel, expand and strengthen the Abraham
Accords, 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 ``U.S.-Israel Partnership and Abraham
Accords Enhancement Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States to--
(1) support the democratic, Jewish state of Israel's right
to self-defense, including through Foreign Military Financing
and security cooperation programs;
(2) seek a successor to the current U.S.-Israel Memorandum
of Understanding reflecting the United States' unshakeable
commitment to Israel's security;
(3) encourage the expansion and strengthening of the
Abraham Accords, in accordance with the Israel Relations
Normalization Act of 2022 (division Z of Public Law 117-103),
to urge other nations to normalize relations with Israel and
ensure that existing agreements reap tangible security and
economic benefits for the citizens of those countries and all
peoples in the region;
(4) support Israel's full participation as an equally
treated member of the community of nations, including by
expanding the Abraham Accords and opposing anti-Israel bias at
the United Nations and other international fora; and
(5) continue to expand the United States-Israel
relationship to deepen existing economic and people-to-people
ties, including through cooperative programs.
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF WAR RESERVES STOCKPILE AUTHORITY.
(a) Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005.--Section
12001(d) of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public
Law 108-287; 118 Stat. 1011) is amended by striking ``after September
30, 2025'' and inserting ``after September 30, 2028''.
(b) Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.--Section 514(b)(2)(A) of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321h(b)(2)(A)) is amended by
striking ``or 2025'' and inserting ``, 2025, 2026, 2027, or 2028''.
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO FINANCE COOPERATIVE PROJECTS AMONG
THE UNITED STATES, ISRAEL, AND CERTAIN DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES.
(a) In General.--Section 106(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151d(e)) is amended by striking ``through 2023'' and
inserting ``through 2026''.
(b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State and
Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on
cooperative projects financed under section 106(e) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, as amended by subsection (a).
SEC. 5. UNITED STATES-ISRAEL ENERGY COOPERATION.
Section 917 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42
U.S.C. 17337) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(6), by inserting ``United States
and'' before ``Israeli'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (H), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(ii) in subparagraph (I), by striking the
period at the end and inserting a semicolon;
and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(J) advanced nuclear technologies, to include
nuclear fusion; and
``(K) carbon capture, utilization, and storage.'';
and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(9) Cost-sharing; reimbursement.--The Secretary shall, to
the maximum extent practicable, require a recipient of a grant
provided under this subsection to share the costs of
feasibility studies and other planning services with respect to
a project for which the grant is provided.
``(10) Prohibitions relating to sanctions.--The Secretary--
``(A) is prohibited from all dealings related to
any grant under this Act that is prohibited under
United States sanctions laws or regulations including
dealings with persons on the list of specially
designated persons and blocked persons maintained by
the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department
of the Treasury, except to the extent otherwise
authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury or the
Secretary of State; and
``(B) may not provide a grant under this subsection
to any applicant that is receiving support under this
section unless such applicant certifies that the
applicant, and any entity owned or controlled by the
applicant, is in compliance with all United States
sanctions laws and regulations.'';
(3) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (g);
(4) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) Research Security.--The activities authorized under this
section shall be applied in a manner consistent with subtitle D of
title VI of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation
Act (enacted as division B of the CHIPS Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-
167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.)).
``(f) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to the congressional
committees specified in subsection (c)(3) an annual report that
describes the activities undertaken pursuant to subsections (b) and (d)
during the preceding year.''; and
(5) in subsection (g), as redesignated by paragraph (3), by
striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30,
2029''.
SEC. 6. REPORT ON REGIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION.
(a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 7 years, the
Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on bilateral and multinational cooperation on
regional security between Israel and other countries in the Middle East
and North Africa region, including with respect to arms transfers,
joint technology development, military drills, and information sharing.
(b) Form of Report.--The determination required by subsection (a)
shall be provided in an unclassified form but may contain a classified
annex provided separately.
SEC. 7. MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE.
The Secretary of State should consider as part of the Middle East
Partnership Initiative programming to expand people-to-people ties
between Israel and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa
region so as to further the goal of expanding and deepening the Abraham
Accords.
SEC. 8. MIDDLE EAST REGIONAL COOPERATION.
The Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development shall ensure that applicants from countries participating
in the Abraham Accords are eligible for assistance under the Middle
East Regional Cooperation competitive grant program managed by such
Agency.
SEC. 9. INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.
The Secretary of State should consider as part of the International
Visitor Leadership Program programming to expand people-to-people ties
between current and emerging leaders in Israel and Muslim-majority
countries so as to further the goal of expanding and deepening the
Abraham Accords.
SEC. 10. POLITICALLY-MOTIVATED INVESTIGATIONS BY THE INTERNATIONAL
CRIMINAL COURT.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Neither Israel nor the United States is a state party
to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
(2) The ICC has pursued investigations against both the
United States and Israel despite not having legitimate
jurisdiction in such cases.
(b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 7 years, the
Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on United States diplomatic efforts to oppose
politically-motivated investigations against the United States and
Israel at the ICC.
SEC. 11. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE AFRICAN UNION.
It is the sense of the Congress that reinstating Israel's observer
status at the African Union would be of benefit to both Israel and
African countries.
SEC. 12. REPORT ON UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TOOLS TO SUPPORT THE I2U2
GROUP.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report regarding appropriate tools that the
Department of State, the United States Agency for International
Development, and the United States International Development Finance
Corporation can utilize to support India's participation in the
grouping of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United
States (commonly referred to as the ``I2U2 Group'').
SEC. 13. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) fostering support for the Abraham Accords and the
normalization of diplomatic relations with Israel among the
general public in Arab and Muslim-majority countries is in the
interest of the United States;
(2) additional opportunities for interfaith dialogue may
help increase support for normalization of diplomatic relations
with Israel; and
(3) promoting cultural and societal understanding of
international religious freedom in Arab and Muslim-majority
countries with the goal of increasing public acceptance of the
Abraham Accords is consistent with the statutory duties and
responsibilities of the Ambassador at Large for International
Religious Freedom and the Office on International Religious
Freedom established by section 101 of the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6411).
SEC. 14. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.
In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
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