A resolution affirming that the United States supports the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum and the Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline.

III 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 271 Affirming that the United States supports the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum and the Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 15, 2021 Mr. CRUZ (for himself and Mr. BARRASSO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Affirming that the United States supports the Eastern Medi- terranean Gas Forum and the Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline. Whereas, on January 14, 2019, the representatives from Cy- prus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, and the Pales- tinian Authority convened in Cairo, Egypt to discuss es- tablishing the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF); Whereas, on December 20, 2019, the United States Congress passed the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 (title II of division J of Public Law 116–94), which states it is the policy of the United States to promote and deepen energy security cooperation and development between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel and to support the Eastern Mediterranean Pipeline; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:07 Jun 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR271.IS SR271 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 271 IS Whereas, on January 2, 2020, Israel, Greece, and Cyprus signed an agreement to build an Eastern Mediterranean pipeline to connect the Eastern Mediterranean energy market to southern Europe; Whereas, on January 16, 2020, Egypt hosted a forum with representatives of Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority to finalize the framework for launching the EMGF; Whereas, on September 23, 2020, the six member states of the EMGF held a signing ceremony that formally trans- formed the forum into a regional intergovernmental orga- nization based in Cairo, Egypt; Whereas, on December 16, 2020, the United Arab Emirates joined the EMGF and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said ‘‘the UAE will contribute to the forum’s ac- tivities to serve strategic interests and enhance coopera- tion and partnership between the forum countries’’; Whereas, on March 1, 2021, the EMGF Statute entered into force; Whereas, on March 9, 2021, the EMGF accepted France as a member; Whereas the United States and the European Union are per- manent observers of the EMGF; Whereas a vibrant regional gas market will promote pros- perity and provide a sustainable path for economic devel- opment; Whereas the EMGF promotes technical and market collabo- ration in energy, including by ensuring a competitive price for natural gas, the development of new energy technologies, and increased cooperation on cyber security; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:07 Jun 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR271.IS SR271 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 271 IS Whereas the EMGF and the Eastern Mediterranean Pipeline will provide European nations with robust energy alter- natives and decrease reliance on the Russian Federation; Whereas the United States has been a steadfast supporter of the creation of the EMGF as well as the agreement be- tween Israel, Greece, and Cyprus to support the comple- tion of the Eastern Mediterranean pipeline; Whereas Dan Brouillette, then-United States Secretary of Energy, notes the ‘‘immense benefits that natural gas will bring to the region, but to growing markets around the world’’; Whereas Frank Fannon, then-United States Assistant Sec- retary of State for Energy Resources, echoes that ‘‘en- ergy resources are a catalyst for cooperation’’; Whereas George Lakkotrypis, then-Minister of Energy, Com- merce, Industry and Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus, said that ‘‘U.S. support in creating an Eastern Medi- terranean corridor is profound and solid’’; Whereas Tarek El-Molla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Arab Republic of Egypt, stated, ‘‘The EMGF will be acknowledged throughout history as a unique and bold endeavor, since it aspires to become an exemption to the historic norm of perceiving our current and prospective energy wealth as a motivation for con- flict’’; Whereas Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, stat- ed that the Eastern Mediterranean Pipeline ‘‘is a pipeline for peace and cooperation between the peoples of the re- gion’’; Whereas Yuval Steinitz, Minister of Energy of the State of Israel, said the EMGF ‘‘brings regional cooperation with VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:07 Jun 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR271.IS SR271 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 271 IS Arab and European countries, the first of its kind in his- tory’’; Whereas Hala Zawati, Minister of Energy and Mineral Re- sources of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, stated, ‘‘Within the Eastern Mediterranean and utilizing our gas resources and infrastructure—cooperating and working together, given all the challenges, became a must. We be- lieve that this platform will serve to enhance dialogue be- tween countries to reach a clear regional vision, a vision that translates into policies for a sustainable regional gas market in the Eastern Mediterranean.’’; and Whereas the EMGF is part of a growing network of regional agreements and frameworks that provide the basis for long-term peace and cooperation on vital issues related to diplomatic engagement, collective security, economic growth, and energy development, including the Abraham Accords, signed on September 15, 2020, by the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) celebrates the establishment of the Eastern 2 Mediterranean Gas Forum and congratulates the 3 members for their success in building an inter- 4 national forum to advance Eastern Mediterranean 5 energy; 6 (2) commends the members for demonstrating a 7 commitment to multilateral cooperation leading to 8 mutual economic and energy security; 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:07 Jun 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR271.IS SR271 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •SRES 271 IS (3) recognizes the historical significance of Jew- 1 ish, Arab, and Christian peoples working together to 2 advance prosperity and security within the region; 3 (4) notes the strategic importance of the East- 4 ern Mediterranean pipeline in enhancing European 5 energy security and decreasing reliance on Russian 6 energy exports; and 7 (5) calls on all states to support the Eastern 8 Mediterranean Gas Forum and the Eastern Medi- 9 terranean Pipeline. 10 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:07 Jun 15, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR271.IS SR271 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS