[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3818 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3818

     To establish a Middle East Development Initiative to provide 
 development assistance to countries in the Middle East region for the 
         purpose of promoting the peace process in that region.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 8, 1994

  Mr. Penny introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To establish a Middle East Development Initiative to provide 
 development assistance to countries in the Middle East region for the 
         purpose of promoting the peace process in that region.

    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 ``Middle East Peace and Development 
Act of 1994''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that the United States should 
continue to promote peace in the Middle East region by--
            (1) encouraging the establishment of diplomatic relations 
        and subsequent friendly relationships among Israel, Egypt, 
        Syria, Jordan, and other nations in the region;
            (2) promoting the shared development and use of human, 
        natural, material, and technological resources of the region; 
        and
            (3) supporting self-determination for the Palestinian 
        people in the West Bank and Gaza.

SEC. 3. MIDDLE EAST DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--The President shall establish and carry out a 
Middle East Development Initiative (in this Act referred to as the 
``Initiative'') to provide development assistance to countries in the 
Middle East region for the purpose of promoting the peace process in 
such region.
    (b) Eligibility.--
            (1) In general.--A country shall be eligible to receive 
        development assistance under the Initiative only if the 
        government of such country is engaged in bilateral or 
        multilateral discussions or negotiations which promote the 
        peace process in the Middle East region.
            (2) West bank and gaza.--An organization or any other 
        entity located in the West Bank or Gaza shall be eligible to 
        receive development assistance under the Initiative only if 
        such organization or entity is engaged in bilateral or 
        multilateral discussions or negotiations which promote the 
        peace process in the Middle East region.
    (c) Coordination with Other Programs.--The President shall 
coordinate the Initiative with--
            (1) other programs under which assistance for development 
        is provided to countries in the Middle East region, including 
        programs for the West Bank and Gaza; and
            (2) any other appropriate foreign assistance programs that 
        promote development in the Middle East region, including 
        programs established and carried out by international 
        organizations.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
President to carry out this Act $260,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 1995, 1996, and 1997. Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
preceding sentence are authorized to remain available until expended.
    (b) Offsetting Reduction in Spending for Foreign Assistance for 
Egypt and Israel.--For each of the fiscal years 1995, 1996, and 1997, 
the amount of foreign assistance provided to Egypt and Israel shall be 
reduced as follows:
            (1) Egypt.--The amount of foreign assistance provided to 
        Egypt shall be at least $110,000,000 less than the amount of 
        such assistance provided to Egypt for fiscal year 1994.
            (2) Israel.--The amount of foreign assistance provided to 
        Israel shall be at least $150,000,000 less than the amount of 
        such assistance provided to Israel for fiscal year 1994.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

     For purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Development assistance.--The term ``development 
        assistance'' means assistance under chapter 1 of part I of the 
        Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to development 
        assistance).
            (2) Foreign assistance.--The term ``foreign assistance'' 
        means assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 or 
        under the ``Foreign Military Financing Program'' account under 
        section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act.
            (3) Middle east region.--The term ``Middle East region'' 
        means the region consisting of the following: Bahrain, Egypt, 
        Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, 
        Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, the West Bank, 
        and Yemen.

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