S. 2673 — what changed
United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014
From Placed on Calendar Senate to Engrossed in Senate. 2 sections amended between Placed on Calendar Senate and Engrossed in Senate.
Sec. 9 Statement of policy regarding the Visa Waiver Program
added It shall be the policy of the United States to include Israel in the list of countries that participate in the visa waiver program under section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187) when Israel satisfies, and as long as Israel continues to satisfy, the requirements for inclusion in such program specified in such section.
removed
Sense of Congress— It is the Sense of Congress that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, should designate the State of Israel as a program country under the Visa Waiver Program when the Government of Israel—
removed
is in compliance with all the requirements of the program specified in section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187), except for the low nonimmigrant visa refusal rate requirement under subsection (c)(2)(A) of such section; and
removed
has met the conditions for a waiver of such requirement set forth in subsection (c).
removed
Consultation— The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, should take steps to engage with representatives of the Government of Israel on—
removed
the extent to which Israel satisfies the requirements specified in section 217 of such Act for inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program;
removed
additional steps that may be required in order for Israel to qualify for consideration for inclusion in such program.
removed
Waiver— The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is authorized to waive the low nonimmigrant visa refusal rate requirements under paragraphs (2)(A) and (3)(B) of section 217(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187(c)) for the State of Israel if—
removed
the Government of Israel has complied with all other requirements of the Visa Waiver Program, including extending the reciprocal privileges described in section 217(a)(2)(A) of such Act to citizens and nationals of the United States without regard to the race, religion, national origin, or ethnicity of any such citizen or national;
removed
the percentage of nationals of Israel who were refused a nonimmigrant visitor visa during the previous fiscal year is not more than 10 percent of the total number of nonimmigrant visitor visas for nationals of Israel which were granted or refused during that fiscal year.
removed
Savings provision— Nothing in this section may be construed to exempt the State of Israel from all requirements to which other program countries are subject under section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act except for requirements relating to low nonimmigrant visa refusal rates under paragraphs (2)(A) and (3)(B) of section 217(c) of such Act.
Sec. 12 United States-Israel energy cooperation
Findings— Section 917(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17337(a)) is amended—
in paragraph (1), by striking “renewable” and inserting “covered”;
in paragraph (4)—
by striking “possible many” and inserting “possible—
“(A) many”
by adding at the end the following: “and
“(B) significant contributions to the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency through the established programs of the United States-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation and the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation;”
in paragraph (6)—
by striking “renewable” and inserting “covered”; and
by striking “and” at the end;
in paragraph (7)—
by striking “renewable” and inserting “covered”; and
by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(8) United States-Israel energy cooperation and the development of natural resources by Israel are in the strategic interest of the United States;
“(9) Israel is a strategic partner of the United States in water technology;
“(10) the United States can play a role in assisting Israel with regional safety and security issues;
changed
“(11) the National Science Foundation of the United States, to the extent consistent with the National Science Foundation’s mission , mission, should collaborate with the Israel Science Foundation and the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation;
“(12) the United States and Israel should strive to develop more robust academic cooperation in—
“(A) energy innovation technology and engineering;
“(B) water science;
“(C) technology transfer; and
“(D) analysis of emerging geopolitical implications, crises and threats from foreign natural resource and energy acquisitions, and the development of domestic resources as a response;
“(13) the United States supports the goals of the Alternative Fuels Administration of Israel with respect to expanding the use of alternative fuels;
“(14) the United States strongly urges open dialogue and continued mechanisms for regular engagement and encourages further cooperation between applicable departments, agencies, ministries, institutions of higher education, and the private sector of the United States and Israel on energy security issues, including—
“(A) identifying policy priorities associated with the development of natural resources of Israel;
“(B) discussing and sharing best practices to secure cyber energy infrastructure and other energy security matters;
“(C) leveraging natural gas to positively impact regional stability;
“(D) issues relating to the energy-water nexus, including improving energy efficiency and the overall performance of water technologies through research and development in water desalination, wastewater treatment and reclamation, water treatment in gas and oil production processes, and other water treatment refiners;
“(E) technical and environmental management of deep-water exploration and production;
“(F) emergency response and coastal protection and restoration;
“(G) academic outreach and engagement;
“(H) private sector and business development engagement;
“(I) regulatory consultations;
“(J) leveraging alternative transportation fuels and technologies; and
“(K) any other areas determined appropriate by the United States and Israel;
“(15) the United States—
“(A) acknowledges the achievements and importance of the Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation and the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation; and
“(B) supports continued multiyear funding to ensure the continuity of the programs of the foundations specified in subparagraph (A); and
“(16) the United States and Israel have a shared interest in addressing immediate, near-term, and long-term energy, energy poverty, energy independence, and environmental challenges facing the United States and Israel, respectively.”
Grant program— Section 917(b) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17337(b)(1)) is amended—
in paragraph (1), by striking “renewable energy or energy efficiency” and inserting “covered energy”;
in paragraph (2)—
in subparagraph (F), by striking “and” at the end;
in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(H) natural gas energy, including conventional and unconventional natural gas technologies and other associated technologies, and natural gas projects conducted by or in conjunction with the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation and the United States-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation; and
“(I) improvement of energy efficiency and the overall performance of water technologies through research and development in water desalination, wastewater treatment and reclamation, and other water treatment refiners.”
in paragraph (3)(A), by striking “energy efficiency or renewable” and inserting “covered”.
International partnerships; regional energy cooperation—
International partnerships— Section 917 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17337) is amended—
by striking subsection (d);
by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e);
by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
“(c) International partnerships
“(1) In general—The Secretary, subject to the availability of appropriations, may enter into cooperative agreements supporting and enhancing dialogue and planning involving international partnerships between the Department, including National Laboratories of the Department, and the Government of Israel and its ministries, offices, and institutions.
“(2) Federal share—The Secretary may not pay more than 50 percent of Federal share of the costs of implementing cooperative agreements entered into pursuant to paragraph (1).
“(3) Annual reports—If the Secretary enters into agreements authorized by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives that describes—
“(A) actions taken to implement such agreements; and
“(B) any projects undertaken pursuant to such agreements.
“(d) United States-Israel energy center—The Secretary may establish a joint United States-Israel Energy Center in the United States leveraging the experience, knowledge, and expertise of institutions of higher education and entities in the private sector, among others, in offshore energy development to further dialogue and collaboration to develop more robust academic cooperation in energy innovation technology and engineering, water science, technology transfer, and analysis of emerging geopolitical implications, crises and threats from foreign natural resource and energy acquisitions, and the development of domestic resources as a response.”
in subsection (e), as redesignated, by striking “the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act” and inserting “September 30, 2024”.
Constructive regional energy cooperation— The Secretary of State shall continue the ongoing diplomacy efforts of the Secretary of State in—
engaging and supporting the energy security of Israel; and
promoting constructive regional energy cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean.