[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2413 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2413
To expand and strengthen the Abraham Accords and the Negev Forum, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 20, 2023
Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Risch, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Booker,
and Mr. Lankford) introduced the following bill; which was read twice
and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To expand and strengthen the Abraham Accords and the Negev Forum, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Regional
Integration and Normalization Act of 2023'' or ``RINA''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Findings.
Sec. 4. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 5. Statement of policy.
Sec. 6. United States Special Presidential Envoy for the Abraham
Accords, Negev Forum, and Related
Normalization Agreements.
Sec. 7. Enhanced reporting requirements under the Israel Relations
Normalization Act.
Sec. 8. Abraham Accords, Negev Forum, and Regional Integration
Opportunity Fund.
Sec. 9. United States, Abraham Accords, and Negev Forum economic
partnership.
Sec. 10. Supporting regional integration through multilaterals,
scientific collaboration, and interfaith
initiatives.
Sec. 11. Supporting regional integration through a young Middle East
leaders initiative program.
Sec. 12. Supporting regional integration through educational exchange
and people-to-people engagement.
Sec. 13. Strengthening and expanding the Abraham Accords and Negev
Forum through industrial and scientific
research and development.
Sec. 14. Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund.
Sec. 15. Joint cybersecurity training activities and information
sharing.
Sec. 16. Leveraging United States economic toolkit to support regional
integration and normalization efforts.
Sec. 17. Cooperative projects among the United States, Israel, and
Abraham Accords countries and Negev Forum
countries.
Sec. 18. Supporting structures that expand cooperation across regions
in key areas.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Abraham accords.--The term ``Abraham Accords'' means--
(A) the Abraham Accords Declaration, done at
Washington September 15, 2020;
(B) the Abraham Accords Peace Agreement: Treaty of
Peace, Diplomatic Relations and Full Normalization
Between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, done at
Washington September 15, 2020;
(C) the Abraham Accords: Declaration of Peace,
Cooperation, and Constructive Diplomatic and Friendly
Relations, done at Washington September 15, 2020,
between Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain; and
(D) the Joint Declaration of the Kingdom of
Morocco, the United States, and Israel, done at Rabat
December 22, 2020.
(2) Abraham accords country.--The term ``Abraham Accords
country'' means a country that is a party to the Abraham
Accords.
(3) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives.
(4) Expand.--The term ``expand'', with respect to the
Abraham Accords, means to increase the number of regional,
Arab, or Muslim-majority countries that seek to normalize
relations with the State of Israel.
(5) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Abraham Accords and
Negev Forum Opportunity Fund established under section 8.
(6) Key partners in regional integration.--The term ``key
partners in regional integration'' means--
(A) any Abraham Accords country;
(B) Egypt;
(C) Jordan;
(D) the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and
(E) any other active and constructive country that
supports cooperation--
(i) to normalize relations between
countries in the Middle East and North Africa
and Israel; and
(ii) to advance regional integration.
(7) Negev forum.--The term ``Negev Forum'' means the
regional grouping known as the Negev Forum Regional Cooperation
Framework that was adopted on November 10, 2022, or any
successor group.
(8) Negev forum country.--The term ``Negev Forum country''
means the government of any of the following countries:
(A) Bahrain.
(B) Egypt.
(C) Israel.
(D) Morocco.
(E) The United Arab Emirates.
(F) The United States.
(G) Any country that joins the Negev Forum as a
full member after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(9) Observer.--The term ``observer''--
(A) means any country, particularly inside the
Middle East and North Africa region, or political
entity that--
(i) directly supports the objectives and
processes of the Negev Forum;
(ii) expresses serious interest in
participating in certain projects determined by
the Negev Forum that benefit normalization with
Israel and greater regional integration; and
(iii) is not an official member of the
Negev Forum Steering Committee or any working
group of the Negev Forum; and
(B) includes 3+1 format members Cyprus and Greece.
(10) Other regional actors.--The term ``other regional
actors'' means the Palestinian Authority or a credible future
political entity that serves as the interlocutor for the
Palestinian people.
(11) Special envoy.--The term ``Special Envoy'' means the
Special Presidential Envoy for the Abraham Accords, Negev
Forum, and Related Normalization Agreements established under
section 6.
(12) Strengthen.--The term ``strengthen'', with respect to
the Abraham Accords and the Negev Forum, means to engage in
efforts that improve the diplomatic relations between Abraham
Accords countries and broaden the breadth and scope of issues
on which Abraham Accords countries cooperate.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On March 26, 1979, Egypt signed a peace treaty with
Israel, becoming the first Arab country to establish full,
normalized, diplomatic relations with Israel.
(2) On October 26, 1994, Jordan signed a peace treaty with
Israel, becoming the second Arab country to normalize ties with
Israel.
(3) On March 27, 2002, the Arab League unanimously endorsed
the Arab Peace Initiative, which offered the possibility of
normalized relations between the Arab League and Israel for the
first time.
(4) On September 15, 2020, the governments of the United
Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed bilateral agreements, known
collectively as the Abraham Accords, to normalize relations
with Israel.
(5) Sudan and Morocco agreed to normalize ties with Israel
on October 23, 2020, and December 10, 2020, respectively.
(6) Collectively, such agreements marked the first
normalizations of diplomatic relations with Israel since the
normalizations between Israel and Jordan in 1994 and Israel and
Egypt in 1979.
(7) In March 2022, the foreign ministers of Bahrain, Egypt,
Israel, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and the United
States convened in Sde Boker, Israel, for the first Negev
Summit and agreed to form a framework that--
(A) multilateralizes regional cooperation that
centers on countries that have normalized relations
with Israel; and
(B) is inclusive of other countries and interested
parties.
(8) In January 2023, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,
senior officials of the Negev Forum countries held the
inaugural meeting of the Negev Forum working groups, which are
the following:
(A) Regional Security.
(B) Education.
(C) Food and Water Security.
(D) Energy.
(E) Tourism.
(F) Healthcare.
(9) Overall trade between Israel and Abraham Accords
countries increased from $593,000,000 to $3,470,000,000 between
2019 and 2022, according to the Israeli Census Bureau.
(10) On May 29, 2022, Egypt and Israel agreed to jointly
upgrade the Nitzana Border Crossing to ``promote trade
relations with Egypt and create quality employment in the
south, alongside activity by Israeli companies in the Egyptian
market'' and to boost annual bilateral trade to $700,000,000 by
2025.
(11) On June 19, 2022, an Egyptian trade delegation and
members of the Federation of Egyptian Industries visited Israel
for the first time in a decade.
(12) On May 31, 2022, the United Arab Emirates and Israel
signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between
the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Government
of the State of Israel, entered into force April 1, 2023
(commonly known as the ``UAE-Israel CEPA''), abolishing customs
duties on 96 percent of the products exchanged between the two
countries, including food, agricultural goods, cosmetics,
medical equipment, and medicine.
(13) On December 11, 2022, the governments of the United
Arab Emirates and Israel ratified the UAE-Israel CEPA.
(14) Tourism in the Middle East has increased since the
Abraham Accords were signed.
(15) In 2022, at least 350,000 Israelis traveled to the
United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain.
(16) The Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith complex to
promote the values of human solidarity, mutual respect, and
peaceful coexistence, was officially inaugurated and opened to
worshippers on February 16, 2023, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates.
(17) Joint water security and clean energy projects between
Negev Forum countries have deepened as a result of
normalization.
(18) On November 8, 2022, Jordan, Israel, and the United
Arab Emirates signed a memorandum of understanding with respect
to Project Prosperity, a project to build a 600-megawatt solar
farm in Jordan and a water desalination plant in Israel to
export 300,000,000 cubic meters of desalinated water to Jordan
annually.
(19) On November 17, 2022, Morocco and Israel signed a
memorandum of understanding to cooperate on drinking water and
liquid sanitation.
(20) Research and innovation collaboration have increased
between Negev Forum countries in aviation, technology, and
healthcare.
(21) On July 4, 2021, Emirati and Israeli medical
institutions partnered to create a digital health platform for
remote patient management in Dubai.
(22) On March 23, 2022, Morocco and Israel signed an
agreement to cooperate on civilian aerospace projects.
(23) On June 24, 2022, the Minister of Interior of Israel
launched a pilot program to attract Moroccan workers to
construction, programming, and nursing sectors in Israel.
(24) On September 14, 2022, Abdelmalek Essaddi University
in Morocco and the University of Haifa in Israel signed a
memorandum of understanding to advance cooperation in marine
research and technologies.
(25) Educational and cultural ties have deepened between
Negev Forum countries through university programs, media, and
community activism.
(26) On November 18, 2021, the United Arab Emirates and
Israel signed a memorandum of understanding with respect to
educational affairs, promoting exchanges between academics and
students.
(27) On January 11, 2022, the Association of Gulf Jewish
Communities launched a fundraising campaign to restore a 100-
year-old Jewish cemetery in Bahrain.
(28) On March 31, 2022, the Technion-Israel Institute of
Technology and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco
signed a document of academic cooperation.
(29) On May 31, 2022, i24NEWS became the first Israeli news
network to open bureaus in Morocco.
(30) In December 2022, a delegation of Israeli influencers,
comprised of prominent Jewish and Arab content creators in the
fields of music, sports, fashion, science, and comedy, visited
Morocco on a trip organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Israel.
(31) On January 9, 2023, the United Arab Emirates announced
it would include Holocaust education in the curriculum for
primary and secondary schools.
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) advanced levels of economic and cultural integration in
a region correlate with greater stability, faster rates of
economic growth, higher levels of economic competitiveness, and
overall improved prosperity for the people living in such a
region;
(2) deeper cooperation and regional integration among
Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum countries, observers,
other key partners in regional integration, and other regional
actors is fundamental to the long-term stability, prosperity,
competitiveness, and success of the Middle East and North
Africa;
(3) promoting regional integration in the Middle East and
North Africa and formal normalization between Israel,
neighboring Arab countries, and non-Arab countries outside of
the Middle East and North Africa, is in the strategic interest
of the United States, and should be a key pillar of United
States foreign policy;
(4) regional integration in the Middle East and North
Africa should remain an open and inclusive process with
opportunities for participants beyond only those countries with
formal normalization;
(5) civil society engagement and people-to-people
connections are critical to successful and sustainable regional
integration among Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum
countries, observers, other key partners in regional
integration, and other regional actors;
(6) the Negev Forum, any successor group, and other
regional integration initiatives would benefit from
constructive and positive participation by the Palestinian
Authority, or a credible, future political entity that serves
as the interlocutor for the Palestinian people, while also
strengthening the Palestinian economy and improving the quality
of life for Palestinian people through United States support in
compliance with the Taylor Force Act (Title X of division S of
Public Law 115-141) and other applicable Federal laws;
(7) constructive Palestinian participation in the Negev
Forum, or a successor group, should remain a priority for
current and future structures, as inclusivity will build
stronger support for normalization with Israel and create
momentum towards a comprehensive and sustainable peace; and
(8) efforts to deepen and expand the Abraham Accords, the
Negev Forum, and future regional organizations can reduce the
likelihood of conflict, improve ties between Israel and
neighboring countries, and advance the goal of achieving
lasting peace in the Middle East, which serves the longstanding
goal of United States policy which has been to support a
comprehensive and sustainable peace that includes mutual
recognition, dignity, and peaceful neighborly relations between
Israelis and Palestinians towards two states for two peoples.
SEC. 5. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords and the
Negev Forum within the Middle East and North Africa and beyond;
(2) to institutionalize regional integration as a key
pillar of policies of the United States with respect to the
Middle East and North Africa;
(3) to maintain the leadership of and facilitation by the
United States with respect to integration efforts in the Middle
East and North Africa;
(4) to facilitate efforts to normalize relations formally
between Israel and neighboring Arab and Muslim-majority
countries to achieve shared regional integration, cooperation,
and development objectives, consistent with the national
security, economic, and development interests of the United
States;
(5) to engage in active diplomacy to expand the number of
participants in formal normalization frameworks, as well as in
non-formal integration structures in the Middle East and North
Africa;
(6) to strengthen collective security by continuing and
expanding efforts on regional defense cooperation, as required
by strategic interests of the United States;
(7) to develop and implement an integrated regional
security strategy in the Middle East and North Africa that--
(A) recognizes the shared threat posed by the
Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies and violent
extremism and terrorism;
(B) ensures sufficient United States deterrence in
the region;
(C) builds partner capacity to address shared
threats; and
(D) reinforces the importance of multilateral
security arrangements;
(8) to encourage deeper trade, business, commercial, and
investment relationships between Negev Forum countries,
observers, and key partners in regional integration, in line
with the economic and development interests of the people of
the United States and United States partners and allies in the
region;
(9) to support the work of the Negev Forum and the Negev
Forum working groups on food security and water technology,
energy, tourism, healthcare, education and coexistence, and
regional security;
(10) to expand the Negev Forum working groups as necessary
and appropriate, including by modifying the framework as future
needs and opportunities arise;
(11) to support integration initiatives in the Middle East
and North Africa that strengthen the Palestinian economy and
improve the quality of life for Palestinians;
(12) to urge Negev Forum countries and Abraham Accords
countries to oppose efforts to isolate, delegitimize, or
diplomatically boycott Israel in international or regional
bodies, including the United Nations General Assembly, United
Nations Security Council, United Nations Human Rights Council,
and other entities of the United Nations;
(13) to foster religious freedom, coexistence, and
tolerance throughout the Middle East through interfaith and
intercultural dialogue between Israel and Arab and Muslim-
majority countries; and
(14) to develop a comprehensive interagency effort to
support the policy described in paragraphs (1) through (13).
SEC. 6. UNITED STATES SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR THE ABRAHAM
ACCORDS, NEGEV FORUM, AND RELATED NORMALIZATION
AGREEMENTS.
(a) Establishment.--There is established within the Department of
State the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for the Abraham
Accords, Negev Forum, and Related Integration and Normalization Fora
and Agreements (referred to in this section as the ``Regional
Integration Office'').
(b) Leadership.--
(1) Special envoy.--The Regional Integration Office shall
be headed by the Special Presidential Envoy for the Abraham
Accords, Negev Forum, and Related Normalization Agreements, who
shall--
(A) be appointed by the President, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate; and
(B) report directly to the Secretary of State.
(2) Rank.--The Special Envoy shall have the rank and status
of ambassador.
(c) Limitation.--The Special Envoy shall not be a dual-hatted
official with other responsibilities within the Department of State or
the executive branch.
(d) Duties and Responsibilities.--The Special Envoy shall--
(1) lead diplomatic engagement--
(A) to strengthen and expand the Negev Forum, the
Abraham Accords, and related normalization agreements
with Israel, including promoting initiatives that
benefit the people of key partners in regional
integration or other regional actors in order to
encourage such expansion; and
(B) to support the work of regional integration;
(2) implement the policy of the United States to expand
normalization and support greater regional integration--
(A) within the Middle East and North Africa; and
(B) between the Middle East and North Africa and
other key regions, including sub-Saharan Africa, the
Indo-Pacific region, and beyond;
(3) work to deliver tangible economic and security benefits
for the citizens of Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum
countries, and countries that are members of other related
normalization agreements;
(4) serve as the ministerial liaison for the United States
to the Negev Forum, and other emerging normalization and
integration fora, as necessary, and provide senior
representation at events, steering committee meetings, and
other relevant diplomatic engagements relating to the Negev
Forum or other regional integration bodies;
(5) coordinate all cross-agency engagements and strategies
in support of normalization efforts with other relevant
officials and agencies;
(6) ensure that the appropriate congressional committees
are regularly informed about the work of the Regional
Integration Office;
(7) initiate and advance negotiations on a framework for an
economic and security partnership with the Negev Forum
countries, other key partners in regional integration, and
other regional actors; and
(8) oppose efforts to delegitimize Israel and legal
barriers to normalization with Israel.
(e) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that whole-of-
government resources should be harnessed to ensure the successful
performance by the Special Envoy of the duties described in subsection
(d).
(f) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Special Envoy shall
submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report
on actions taken by all relevant Federal agencies--
(1) to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords and the
work of the Negev Forum and future structures and
organizations; and
(2) towards the objectives of regional integration.
(g) Termination.--This section shall terminate on the date that is
6 years after date of the enactment of this Act.
(h) Rule of Construction.--If, on the date of the enactment of this
Act, an individual has already been designated, consistent with the
requirements and responsibilities described in subsections (b), (c),
and (d) and section 1 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of
1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a), the requirements under subsection (b) shall be
considered to be satisfied with respect to such individual until the
date on which such individual no longer serves as the Special Envoy.
SEC. 7. ENHANCED REPORTING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE ISRAEL RELATIONS
NORMALIZATION ACT.
Section 105(b) of the Israel Relations Normalization Act (division
Z of Public Law 117-103; 136 Stat. 1061) is amended by adding at the
end the following new paragraphs:
``(12) An assessment of ongoing and future United States
Government efforts to support the Negev Forum and its component
working groups.
``(13) An assessment of ongoing and future United States
Government efforts to encourage Israel and key partners in
regional integration to--
``(A) use efficient and innovative energy
technologies;
``(B) ensure equitable access to quality and
relevant education and healthcare;
``(C) foster cooperation between Israel, Abraham
Accords countries, Negev Forum countries, and other key
partners in regional integration in the fields of
maritime security and integration, and integrated air
and missile defense;
``(D) develop and harness technologies to mitigate
food and water insecurity; and
``(E) foster equal measures of freedom, security,
prosperity, and stability for all citizens of the
region.
``(14) Recommendations on how to support economic
conditions that promote commercial engagement, innovation,
competitiveness, new businesses, inclusive economic growth, and
the education of future innovators, entrepreneurs, and business
leaders in the region.
``(15) An assessment of the policy and regulatory
environment for tourism, trade, innovation, and investment in
Negev Forum countries and recommendations on how to improve
regional integration for such sectors.
``(16) Recommendations on how to forge partnerships with
non-Negev Forum states, observers, and other key partners in
regional integration that share the vision of the Negev Forum
for regional integration.''
``(17) A detailed description of efforts to normalize
relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and associated
impacts on the region, including regional security, Arab-
Israeli dynamics, trade, and development.
``(18) An assessment of the structure, frequency of
meeting, and format of working groups of the Negev Forum and
recommendations to maximize economic and security benefits for
Abraham Accords countries and Negev Forum countries.''.
SEC. 8. ABRAHAM ACCORDS, NEGEV FORUM, AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION
OPPORTUNITY FUND.
(a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to advance regional economic integration and provide
tangible economic benefits to Abraham Accords countries and
Negev Forum countries;
(2) to promote the economic security of allies and partners
of the United States by encouraging the development of
accessible, transparent, and competitive markets; and
(3) to encourage public and private sector investment in
projects in Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum countries,
and other key partner countries to expand inclusive economic
development in a way that is consistent with the absorptive
capacity of the Middle East and North Africa.
(b) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the
United States a fund to be known as the ``Abraham Accords, Negev Forum,
and Regional Integration Opportunity Fund'', which shall consist of
amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations
under subsection (d).
(c) Use of Funds.--The Secretary of State and the Special Envoy, in
consultation with other relevant Federal agencies, shall administer the
Fund to advance regional economic integration and provide tangible
security and economic benefits to Abraham Accords countries and Negev
Forum countries.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Department of the Treasury $105,000,000 for fiscal
years 2024 through 2030.
(e) Transfer Authority.--The Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Special Envoy, may transfer any amount of the funds authorized
under subsection (d) to any account of the Department of State or any
other Federal agency to effectively implement the policy described in
subsection (a).
(f) Congressional Notification.--None of the funds authorized under
subsection (d) may be obligated or expended under this section until
the Secretary of State notifies the appropriate congressional
committees and the Committee on Appropriations of each House of the
Congress of the amount and nature of the proposed obligation or
expenditure not fewer than 15 days in advance of the date of the
proposed obligation or expenditure, in accordance with the procedures
applicable to notifications regarding reprogrammings pursuant to 634A
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2394-1).
(g) Strategy.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Special Envoy, in consultation
with other relevant Federal agencies as determined by the
Special Envoy, shall develop and submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a strategy that includes the following
elements:
(A) An estimate of the spend rate of the Fund for
fiscal years 2024 through 2030.
(B) An estimate of the amounts to be transferred
from the Treasury to other Federal agencies in the
first 3 years of the Fund.
(C) An analysis of how the Fund can be used to
strengthen and expand bilateral and multilateral
cooperation between Israel, Abraham Accords countries,
Negev Forum countries, and key partners in regional
integration.
(2) Form.--The strategy required by paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.
(h) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the next
6 years, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the
relevant Federal agencies, shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the activities and use of
funds under this section, including any amounts transferred to
other Federal agencies from the Treasury.
(2) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.
SEC. 9. UNITED STATES, ABRAHAM ACCORDS, AND NEGEV FORUM ECONOMIC
PARTNERSHIP.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the United States should seek to develop and negotiate
a comprehensive framework for economic engagement with Abraham
Accords countries, Negev Forum countries, and key partners in
regional integration to deepen regulatory alignment, expand
regional economic growth, attract investment, increase
competitiveness, and strengthen and secure supply chains;
(2) the Special Envoy should initiate negotiations with
Abraham Accords countries and Negev Forum countries, observers,
and key partners in regional integration on an economic
framework that includes--
(A) improving supply chain security and resiliency;
(B) aligning common regulatory and financial
standards;
(C) attracting foreign investment;
(D) diversification of energy resources, including
renewable sources of energy, and the development and
deployment of emerging and advanced technologies that
promote energy security; and
(E) digital economy, cybersecurity, and cross-
border data flow;
(3) the Special Envoy, in consultation with all other
relevant Federal agencies, should lead interagency efforts to
reach an international agreement on the comprehensive economic
framework described by paragraph (2); and
(4) the Special Envoy should endeavor to embed already
established standards on countering money laundering and
terrorist financing into the regional economic framework
described by paragraph (2).
SEC. 10. SUPPORTING REGIONAL INTEGRATION THROUGH MULTILATERALS,
SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION, AND INTERFAITH INITIATIVES.
(a) Department of State Programs.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of State $2,500,000 for each of fiscal
years 2024 through 2028, of which--
(1) $500,000 shall be made available in the Fund to provide
support for expanding participation by Negev Forum countries in
the Middle East Desalination Research Center;
(2) $1,000,000 shall be made available for the Middle East
Multilaterals program of the Department of State to provide
support for the work of the Negev Forum and its corresponding
working groups; and
(3) $1,000,000 shall be made available for interfaith
dialogue programming between Abraham Accords countries, Negev
Forum countries, observers, other regional actors, and key
partners in regional integration, and the United States for the
purpose of fostering mutual trust, reducing harmful
perceptions, and promoting sustainable peace and cooperation in
the region, through projects that--
(A) support programming centered on coexistence and
interfaith education; and
(B) seek to restore and preserve Jewish sites in
Arab countries both in and outside the Abraham Accords
and Negev Forum.
(b) United States Agency for International Development Programs.--
(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development $6,000,000 for fiscal year
2024, for the Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) program.
(2) Prioritization.--The Administrator shall prioritize the
awarding of funding authorized under paragraph (1) for
proposals submitted by Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum
countries, other regional actors, or key partners in regional
integration that support Negev Forum objectives.
(c) Burden Sharing.--Assistance agreements entered into by the
Secretary of State or the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development under this section shall include provisions
to promote domestic resource mobilization and cost-sharing, as
determined necessary and appropriate by the Secretary or the
Administrator, as the case may be.
(d) International Religious Freedom Report.--In the Annual Report
on International Religious Freedom submitted by the Secretary of State
in accordance with section 102(b) of the International Religious
Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6412(b)), the Secretary of State shall,
for each Abraham Accords country and Negev Forum country, include
information on progress and challenges relating to the Negev Working
Group on Education and Tolerance and advancing religious tolerance and
interfaith understanding among and within the Abraham Accords
countries.
(e) Report on Funding.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the use of
the funds appropriated in accordance with subsection (a), which shall
include--
(1) a description of any programs funded; and
(2) a list of countries in which such programs were
executed to support the purposes described by subsection
(a)(3).
SEC. 11. SUPPORTING REGIONAL INTEGRATION THROUGH A YOUNG MIDDLE EAST
LEADERS INITIATIVE PROGRAM.
(a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to provide educational and professional opportunities
to Middle Eastern youth through scholarships, leadership
programs, and cultural exchanges that create and sustain mutual
understanding with other countries and cultivate people-to-
people ties; and
(2) to support the long-term prosperity and stability of
Negev Forum countries, key partners in regional integration,
and other regional actors by improving educational and
professional opportunities for young people in the Middle East
and North Africa and to promote youth participation in civil
society, governance, and politics.
(b) In General.--There is established in the Department of State
the Young Middle East Leaders Initiative (referred to in this section
as the ``YMELI program'').
(c) Administration.--The YMELI program shall be jointly
administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.
(d) Purpose.--The YMELI program shall seek to build the capacity of
young leaders in Negev Forum countries, key partners in regional
integration, and other regional actors to address issues in the areas
of energy diversification, education and coexistence, business
development and investment promotion, food and water security, health,
regional security, and tourism, including through efforts--
(1) to support young leaders by offering professional
development, training, and networking opportunities to increase
the educational capacity of youth in the Middle East and North
Africa in such areas; and
(2) to provide increased economic and technical assistance
to young leaders in Negev Forum countries, key partners in
regional integration, and other regional actors to promote
economic growth and strengthen ties between the United States
and such groups.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to
support the creation of the YMELI program and other people-to-people
exchange programs.
(f) Fellowships.--The YMELI program shall award fellowships through
the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program to eligible young leaders.
(g) Regional Leadership Centers.--The YMELI program may establish
regional leadership centers in Negev Forum countries and key partners
in regional integration to offer training to eligible young leaders.
(h) Activities.--
(1) United states-based activities.--The Secretary of
State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development and the heads of
other relevant Federal agencies, shall oversee all United
States-based activities carried out under the YMELI program.
(2) MENA-based activities.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development and the heads of other relevant
Federal agencies, shall support activities carried out under
the YMELI program in Negev Forum countries, key partners in
regional integration, and other regional actors, including by
providing--
(A) access to continued leadership training and
other professional development opportunities, including
online courses, technical assistance, and access to
funding, for alumni of the YMELI program upon the
return of such alumni to their home countries;
(B) training to eligible young leaders at regional
leadership centers established in accordance with
subsection (g) and through online and in-person courses
offered by such centers; and
(C) opportunities for networking and engagement
with--
(i) alumni of the YMELI program at regional
leadership centers established in accordance
with subsection (g); and
(ii) United States organizations, business
leaders, and others, as appropriate.
(i) Implementation.--The Secretary of State, in coordination with
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall
seek to partner with the private sector to pursue public-private
partnerships, leverage private sector expertise, expand networking
opportunities, and identify funding opportunities and fellowship and
employment opportunities for participants in the YMELI program.
(j) Implementation Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a plan for
implementing the YMELI program, which shall include--
(1) a description of clearly defined program goals,
targets, and planned outcomes for each year and for the
duration of the YMELI program;
(2) a strategy to monitor and evaluate the YMELI program
and progress made toward achieving such goals, targets, and
planned outcomes; and
(3) a strategy to ensure that the YMELI program is
promoting United States foreign policy goals in the Middle East
and North Africa, including ensuring that the YMELI program is
clearly branded and paired with robust public diplomacy
efforts.
(k) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the next
5 years, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report that includes--
(A) a description of the progress made toward
achieving the goals, targets, and planned outcomes
described in subsection (j)(1), including an overview
of the implementation of the YEMLI program during the
previous year and an estimated number of YMELI program
beneficiaries during such year;
(B) an assessment of how the YMELI program is
contributing to and promoting relations between the
United States and Negev Forum countries, particularly
in areas of increased private sector investment, trade
promotion, support to civil society, improved public
administration, and fostering entrepreneurship and
youth empowerment; and
(C) recommendations for improvements or changes to
the YMELI program, if any, that would improve the
ongoing effectiveness of the YMELI program.
(2) Publication.--The Secretary of State shall publish the
report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) on a publicly
accessible website of the Department of State.
(l) Eligible Young Leader Defined.--In this section, the term
``eligible young leader'' means an individual who--
(1) is between 18 and 35 years of age;
(2) has demonstrated strong capabilities in
entrepreneurship, innovation, public service, and leadership;
and
(3) has positively impacted a community, organization, or
institution.
SEC. 12. SUPPORTING REGIONAL INTEGRATION THROUGH EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE
AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE ENGAGEMENT.
(a) Educational Exchange.--There is authorized to be appropriated
to the Department of State for the Middle East Partnership Initiative
$1,000,000 for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to support educational
and cultural exchange programs to allow--
(1) Israeli students to study in Abraham Accords countries,
Negev Forum countries, and key partners in regional integration
that maintain relations with Israel; and
(2) students from such countries that maintain relations
with Israel to study in Israel.
(b) People-to-People and Civil Society Engagement.--The Middle East
Partnership Initiative may support grants and projects that seek to
build better cooperation and understanding to foster the exchange of
ideas among Israelis, Palestinians, and other citizens from Abraham
Accords countries, Negev Forum countries, key partners in regional
integration, and other regional actors.
(c) Burden Sharing.--Assistance agreements entered into by the
Secretary of State under this section may include provisions to promote
cost-sharing with partners, as determined necessary and appropriate by
the Secretary, as the case may be.
SEC. 13. STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS AND NEGEV
FORUM THROUGH INDUSTRIAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Israel-United States Binational Industrial Research and
Development Foundation.--To facilitate multilateral cooperation between
the United States, Israel, Abraham Accords countries, and Negev Forum
countries, the Israel-United States Binational Industrial Research and
Development Foundation, under the arrangement as entered into in 1977,
may provide grants to initiatives that involve institutions from
Abraham Accords countries and Negev Forum countries.
(b) United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation.--
(1) In general.--To facilitate multilateral cooperation
between the United States, Israel, and the Abraham Accords
countries and Negev Forum countries, the United States-Israel
Binational Science Foundation, under the arrangement as entered
into in 1972, may provide grants to initiatives that involve
scientists and researchers from Abraham Accords countries and
Negev Forum countries, consistent with the national security,
economic, and development interests of the United States.
(2) Limitations.--The Foundation may not provide grants for
projects or initiatives that collaborate with or receive
funding from entities located in a country of concern, and
shall not engage in life sciences research of dual-use concern.
(c) Country of Concern Defined.--In this section, the term
``country of concern'' means any of the following:
(1) The People's Republic of China.
(2) The Russian Federation.
(3) The Islamic Republic of Iran.
(4) The Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
(5) The Republic of Cuba.
(6) The Syrian Arab Republic.
SEC. 14. BINATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUND.
(a) Section 1458(e) of the National Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3291(e)) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``entered into'' and
inserting ``as entered into in 1977''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) when appropriate, facilitate the involvement
of Abraham Accords countries and Negev Forum countries
(as those terms are defined in the Regional Integration
and Normalization Act of 2023) in cooperative projects
with the United States and Israel that further economic
cooperation among the countries involved in such
projects, consistent with the national security,
economic, and development interests of the United
States.''.
SEC. 15. JOINT CYBERSECURITY TRAINING ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION
SHARING.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United
States should--
(1) build on the formal expansion of the Abraham Accords
and other regional integration fora, as appropriate, into
cybersecurity, which was announced by the Department of
Homeland Security on February 2, 2023; and
(2) seek to increase collective cybersecurity and
resilience, address shared cybersecurity threats, and promote
normalization and regional integration efforts.
(b) Training Activities.--The Secretary of State, the Secretary of
Homeland Security, and other relevant Federal agencies, as appropriate,
may engage in joint cybersecurity training activities and other
information-sharing activities relating to cybersecurity, as
appropriate, with Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum counties, and
key partners in regional integration, including by encouraging
participation by such countries in the National Cyber Exercise Program
established under section 2220B of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6
U.S.C. 665h).
(c) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall jointly submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report that contains a
description of any potential benefits and impacts to the United
States of an annual tabletop cybersecurity exercise carried out
in conjunction with Abraham Accords countries and Negev Forum
countries.
(2) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified
annex.
(d) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
SEC. 16. LEVERAGING UNITED STATES ECONOMIC TOOLKIT TO SUPPORT REGIONAL
INTEGRATION AND NORMALIZATION EFFORTS.
(a) Statement of Policy.-- It is the policy of the United States to
promote regional integration and broader interconnectivity among the
Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum countries, observers, key
partners in regional integration, and other regional actors by
promoting and supporting targeted investment in regional infrastructure
and other critical sectors that broaden and deepen interconnectivity,
increase economic growth and resilience, create benefits for citizens
of Abraham Accords countries and Negev Forum countries, and advance the
national security, economic, and development interests of the United
States.
(b) Strategy.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the
heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees an interagency strategy to use the
economic tools of the Federal Government to promote regional
integration through targeted investment as described in subsection (a).
SEC. 17. COOPERATIVE PROJECTS AMONG THE UNITED STATES, ISRAEL, AND
ABRAHAM ACCORDS COUNTRIES AND NEGEV FORUM COUNTRIES.
(a) In General.--Section 106(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151d(e)) is amended to read as follows:
``(e) There is authorized to be appropriated $4,000,000 for fiscal
years 2024 through 2028 to finance cooperative projects among the
United States, Israel, and Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum
countries, and key partners in regional integration (as those terms are
defined in the Regional Integration and Normalization Act of 2023) that
identify and support local solutions that address sustainability
challenges relating to water resources, agriculture, and energy
storage, including for the following activities:
``(1) Establishing public-private partnerships.
``(2) Supporting the identification, research, development
testing, and scaling of innovations that focus on populations
that are vulnerable to environmental and resource-scarcity
crises, such as subsistence farming communities.
``(3) Seed or transition-to-scale funding.
``(4) Clear and appropriate marking, branding, and
marketing of United States-funded assistance.
``(5) Accelerating demonstration or application of local
solutions to sustainability challenges, or the further
refinement, testing, or implementation of innovations that have
previously effectively addressed sustainability challenges.''.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the feasibility and
advisability of expanding to Abraham Accords countries, Negev
Forum countries, and key partners in regional integration the
projects described in section 106(e) of the Foreign Assistance
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151d(e)), as amended by subsection (a),
including projects involving multilateral cooperation among the
United States, Israel, and Negev Forum countries, observers,
and key partners in regional integration to promote development
in Africa.
(2) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified
annex.
SEC. 18. SUPPORTING STRUCTURES THAT EXPAND COOPERATION ACROSS REGIONS
IN KEY AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States has a strategic interest in fostering
cross-regional cooperation and economic integration between
partners in the Indo-Pacific region and partners in the Middle
East and North Africa.
(2) Consistent with the strategic interest described in
paragraph (1), the regional grouping known as the I2U2
comprising the governments of India, Israel, the United Arab
Emirates, and the United States was formally established in
October 2021.
(3) The I2U2 aligns like-minded countries in the Indo-
Pacific region and the Middle East and North Africa on key
mutual areas of cooperation, including water, energy,
transportation, space, health, and food security.
(4) The I2U2 complements other multilateral initiatives,
including the Abraham Accords and the Negev Forum, by bringing
together Israel and regional partners to address regional
challenges and advance economic integration.
(5) By convening 4 major economies with advanced technology
sectors, the I2U2 provides a forum to increase cooperation on
the development and deployment of advanced energy technologies
and promote energy security.
(6) In May 2023, senior officials from the United States,
the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and
India met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss cross-regional
infrastructure development, rail transportation, and
connectivity.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the United States should--
(A) build on the initiatives outlined at the
inaugural I2U2 leaders' summit on July 14, 2022, to
address food security and energy security needs in
North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia;
(B) work through the I2U2 framework to promote
resilience in the Indo-Pacific region to bolster energy
security;
(C) encourage private sector investment and
business-to-business cooperation through initiatives
like the I2U2 Business Forum;
(D) encourage academic cooperation and exchanges
among scholars working in India, the United Arab
Emirates, and Israel to develop advanced energy
technologies; and
(E) encourage further regional initiatives, such as
Project Prosperity, to promote regional integration and
resilience in the face of increasing water and energy
shortages; and
(2) the Secretary of State should--
(A) explore additional areas of cooperation between
United States partners in the Middle East and North
Africa and United States partners in the Indo-Pacific
region to broaden strategic alignment across a range of
important security, economic, and other issues; and
(B) consider expansion of the I2U2 to include other
key partners in regional integration, including Saudi
Arabia.
<all>