A significant milestone was reached today for the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act, as the legislation was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The move advances the bill further through the legislative process, bringing it closer to consideration by both chambers of Congress before it can be sent to the President for signature.
The bipartisan initiative seeks to establish the Eastern Mediterranean as a key strategic node in the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and to strengthen US cooperation with regional partners on energy security, critical infrastructure, connectivity and defense. DC insiders view the legislation as one of the most consequential congressional efforts in recent years to reinforce the geopolitical and economic importance of the Eastern Mediterranean.
It seeks to deepen US energy and defense cooperation with key partners as India, Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt and to integrate their critical infrastructure into the broader connectivity framework envisioned under IMEC.
It highlights key energy projects, including the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), the Greece-Egypt electricity link (GREGY), the Greece–Bulgaria gas pipeline and new LNG terminals, as critical not only for Europe’s energy security but also for the broader success of the IMEC initiative.
The Secretary of State is urged to elevate the Eastern Mediterranean as a priority in US foreign policy, to actively support regional cooperation frameworks, particularly the 3+1 format and to bolster the East Mediterranean Gas Forum.
The “Sense of Congress” section reflects the broad bipartisan consensus that the Eastern Mediterranean serves as a strategic bridge between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and that the United States must remain a key player in shaping the region’s future. Specifically, the bill states that:
– The importance of diplomatic initiatives such as the Greece-Cyprus-Israel-US ”3+1” format, the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, and the Abraham Accords should be recognized and the United States should maintain its leadership role in these diplomatic initiatives,
– The United States should continue to actively participate in the East Mediterranean Gas Forum initiatives,
– The Eastern Mediterranean region is an important gateway that can connect 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,
– The United States recognizes the unique role of the Eastern Mediterranean countries as both a distinct sub-region and a key link within the broader IMEC corridor,
– The ”3+1” diplomatic initiative should be resumed with a meeting of the Secretary of State with the ministers of Israel, Greece, and Cyprus,
-The policy statement in Section 203 of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 should guide the Secretary of State in promoting connectivity between India, the Middle East, and Europe, including participation in the trilateral dialogue between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus on energy, maritime security, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure protection.
The bill requires annual reports to Congress on its implementation, multilateral initiatives, and progress on energy and defense projects. Specifically, the bill states that “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 impact of this Act, including an update on energy projects and defense cooperation undertaken pursuant to the authorities of this Act and the amendments made by this Act.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on each multilateral initiative between the United States and IMEC countries. 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 the lessons learned from the operation of the Cyprus Center CYCLOPS as a potential model for broad-based multilateral cooperation.
The bill was introduced last year in the House of Representatives by Democratic Congressman Brad Schneider and Republican Congressman Gus Bilirakis. Τhis year, a companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Democratic Senator Cory Booker and Republican Senator David McCormick, securing strong bipartisan support from the outset.
If it successfully completes the legislative process and is signed into law by the President, it will mark the third major legislative achievement for the Greek-American lobby in Congress in recent years, following the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 and the US-Greece Defense and Interp…
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