Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act

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

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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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