Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3099) to establish in the Department of State the position of Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3099
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 ``Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that the policy of the United States, as enacted in section 104 of the Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2022 (division Z of Public Law 117-103), with respect to the Abraham Accords remains unchanged. SEC. 3. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS.
Title I of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``SEC. 64. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS.
``(a) Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords.--There is established within the Department of State a Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords (in this section referred to as the `Special Envoy'), who shall serve as the primary advisor to, and coordinate efforts across, the United States Government relating to expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords. The Special Envoy shall report directly to the Secretary of State and shall hold the office at the pleasure of the President.
``(b) Nomination.--Pursuant to subsection (j)(1) of section 1, the Special Envoy shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and may be appointed from among the officers and employees of the Department except that such officer or employee may not retain the position (or the responsibilities associated with the position) held by such officer or employee prior to such appointment simultaneously with the position or responsibilities of the Special Envoy.
``(c) Rank and Status of Ambassador.--The Special Envoy shall have the rank and status of ambassador.
``(d) Duties.--The Special Envoy shall be responsible for--
``(1) encouraging countries without diplomatic relations with Israel to establish formal diplomatic, economic, security, and people-to-people ties;
``(2) seeking to expand and strengthen existing relationships between Israel and Muslim-majority countries, including those outside the geographic scope of the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau of the Department of State, to ensure that all parties reap tangible security and economic benefits for their citizens;
``(3) building on existing efforts, including the Negev Forum, to help foster enhanced cooperation between Israel and Muslim-majority countries on shared priorities including as relates to trade, agriculture, and water security;
``(4) providing diplomatic support for Israel's integration into cooperative efforts related to regional security; and
``(5) coordinating lines of effort across the United States Government, including the regional and functional bureaus within the Department of State, and conducting appropriate diplomatic engagement with foreign governments, nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders determined appropriate by the Special Envoy in order to expand and strengthen the Abraham Accords.
``(e) Report.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the confirmation of the first Special Envoy appointed pursuant to this section, and annually thereafter, the Special Envoy shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a report describing all United States efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, including specific diplomatic engagements and status of efforts with respect to specific countries.
``(2) Form of report.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a separate, classified annex.''.
Mr. Speaker, for 75 years, the United States and Israel have been close friends and partners, working hand in hand on our shared priorities to keep our nations safe, secure, and prosperous.
Along with our partnership with Israel, we also have many shared interests with our Arab partners in the region.
The United States has consistently worked to help secure peace in the Middle East, and we remain committed to enduring peace throughout the region.
Not only do we want to ensure regional security but economic prosperity as well, which drives cutting-edge innovation.
We are all concerned about Iran's malign activities. A nuclear Iran is a threat to the entire region and the world and is not acceptable. Yet, for so many years, our friends would not speak directly to one another. Even after Egypt, in 1979, and Jordan, in 1994, established peace and diplomatic relations with Israel, other Arab countries refused.
Then, in August 2020, everything changed. The UAE and Israel announced that they were normalizing diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by the Trump administration, which we now know as the Abraham Accords. In short order, Bahrain and Morocco joined UAE in opening diplomatic relations with Israel.
I was proud to be at the White House for the signing of these famous documents, the accords, a game-changing development that benefits the United States, Israel, and our partners in the region.
The Abraham Accords have served as a foundation for increased cooperation between Israel and Middle Eastern nations. We have already seen incredible leaps forward as these countries engage in defense cooperation, economic cooperation, and frequent diplomatic engagement. What we have not seen, but we all wish to see, is more countries joining the Abraham Accords.
Secretary of State Blinken was in Saudi Arabia last week, and I remain hopeful that one day Saudi Arabia will engage with their neighbors and join these historic accords. Saudi Arabia and Israel would both benefit from working together on their shared interests.
It has never been more important that we continue to prioritize the expansion of these agreements. Part of doing this entails making it clear who in the United States Government is responsible for expanding these Abraham Accords.
This bipartisan bill, introduced by my colleague and friend Mike Lawler from New York, who is also a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, would create that position, a special envoy for the Abraham Accords at the State Department. The special envoy will coordinate all efforts to expand the accords and strengthen relationships between Israel and participating countries.
We need to put our diplomatic might into trying to achieve the kinds of big breakthroughs that created the accords almost 3 years ago. This legislation, Mr. Lawler's bill, does exactly that.
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Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I thank all the gentlemen from New York--Congressman Lawler, Ranking Member Meeks, and Congressman Torres--for putting this legislation forward.
We have all talked about peace in the Middle East our entire lifetime, but we really have a chance to make a difference. The Abraham Accords jump-started that process, built upon the agreements with Egypt and then Jordan, and now this.
We are really, I think, privileged to be a part of the new era of ushering in cooperation between Israel and the Muslim-majority countries.
When I would talk to Ambassadors from UAE and other countries, they would say: We are just tired. We are just tired of Palestinians saying no. We just can't do it. We just can't do it.
They just said: We want to move forward. We want progress. We want peace in the region.
They want economic prosperity, which this does.
These accords mark a generational shift in Middle Eastern relations. This bill will further that effort and that mission, and we must continue the work. This special envoy will be dedicated to this purpose.
I have to say that Ritchie Torres came up with this idea. He worked with our side of the aisle, and he and Congressman Lawler worked together on this legislation. That is what Congress should look like, working together on a goal that can promote peace, prosperity, and cooperation--in this case, in the Middle East.
I may not see it in my lifetime, but I hope I do. However, I do know that this bill will move it one step forward toward that great goal that we all share here today.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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