Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “U.S.-Israel Partnership and Abraham Accords Enhancement Act of 2023”.
U.S.-Israel Partnership and Abraham Accords Enhancement Act of 2023
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.
Sec. 2 Statement of policy
It is the policy of the United States to—
support the democratic, Jewish state of Israel’s right to self-defense, including through Foreign Military Financing and security cooperation programs;
seek a successor to the current U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding reflecting the United States’ unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security;
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;
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
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
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”.
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
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”.
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—
in subsection (a)(6), by inserting “United States and” before “Israeli”;
in subsection (b)—
in paragraph (2)—
in subparagraph (H), by striking “and” at the end;
in subparagraph (I), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(J) advanced nuclear technologies, to include nuclear fusion; and
“(K) carbon capture, utilization, and storage.”
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.”
by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (g);
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.”
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
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.
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
Findings— Congress finds the following:
Neither Israel nor the United States is a state party to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC has pursued investigations against both the United States and Israel despite not having legitimate jurisdiction in such cases.
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—
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;
additional opportunities for interfaith dialogue may help increase support for normalization of diplomatic relations with Israel; and
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).