[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2973 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2973

  To require the Secretary of Defense to develop, in cooperation with 
 allies and partners in the Middle East, an integrated maritime domain 
     awareness and interdiction capability, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 27, 2023

Mrs. Rodgers of Washington (for herself, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Trone, Mrs. 
  Wagner, Mr. Bacon, and Mr. Panetta) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition 
  to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the Secretary of Defense to develop, in cooperation with 
 allies and partners in the Middle East, an integrated maritime domain 
     awareness and interdiction capability, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Maritime Architecture and Response 
to International Terrorism In the Middle East Act of 2023'' or the 
``MARITIME Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. MIDDLE EAST INTEGRATED MARITIME DOMAIN AWARENESS AND 
              INTERDICTION CAPABILITY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, shall seek to build upon the historic opportunities 
created by the Abraham Accords and the incorporation of Israel into the 
area of responsibility of the United States Central Command to develop 
a Middle East integrated maritime domain awareness and interdiction 
capability for the purpose of protecting the people, infrastructure, 
and territory of such countries from--
            (1) manned and unmanned naval systems, undersea warfare 
        capabilities, and anti-ship missiles of Iran and groups 
        affiliated with Iran; and
            (2) violent extremist organizations, criminal networks, and 
        piracy activities that threaten lawful commerce in the 
        waterways within the area of responsibility of the United 
        States Naval Forces Central Command.
    (b) Strategy.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in 
        consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a strategy for the 
        cooperation described in subsection (a).
            (2) Matters to be included.--The strategy required by 
        paragraph (1) shall include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of the threats posed to ally or 
                partner countries in the Middle East by--
                            (i) manned and unmanned naval systems, 
                        undersea warfare capabilities, and anti-ship 
                        missiles of Iran and groups affiliated with 
                        Iran; and
                            (ii) violent extremist organizations, 
                        criminal networks, and piracy activities that 
                        threaten lawful commerce in the waterways 
                        within the area of responsibility of the United 
                        States Naval Forces Central Command.
                    (B) A description of existing multilateral maritime 
                partnerships currently led by the United States Naval 
                Forces Central Command, including the Combined Maritime 
                Forces (including its associated Task Forces 150, 151, 
                152, and 153), the International Maritime Security 
                Construct, and the Navy's Task Force 59, and a 
                discussion of the role of such partnerships in building 
                an integrated maritime security capability.
                    (C) A description of progress made in advancing the 
                integration of Israel into the existing multilateral 
                maritime partnerships described in subparagraph (B).
                    (D) A description of efforts among countries in the 
                Middle East to coordinate intelligence, reconnaissance, 
                and surveillance capabilities and indicators and 
                warnings with respect to the threats described in 
                subparagraph (A), and a description of any impediment 
                to optimizing such efforts.
                    (E) A description of the current Department of 
                Defense systems that, in coordination with ally and 
                partner countries in the Middle East--
                            (i) provide awareness of and defend against 
                        such threats; and
                            (ii) address current capability gaps.
                    (F) An explanation of the manner in which an 
                integrated maritime domain awareness and interdiction 
                architecture would improve collective security in the 
                Middle East.
                    (G) A description of existing and planned efforts 
                to engage ally and partner countries in the Middle East 
                in establishing such an architecture.
                    (H) An identification of the elements of such an 
                architecture that may be acquired and operated by ally 
                and partner countries in the Middle East, and a list of 
                such elements for each such ally and partner.
                    (I) An identification of the elements of such an 
                architecture that may only be provided and operated by 
                members of the United States Armed Forces.
                    (J) An identification of any challenge to 
                optimizing such an architecture in the Middle East.
                    (K) An assessment of progress and key challenges in 
                the implementation of the strategy required by 
                paragraph (1) using the metrics identified in 
                accordance with paragraph (3).
                    (L) Recommendations for improvements in the 
                implementation of such strategy based on such metrics.
                    (M) An assessment of any capabilities or lessons 
                from the Navy's Task Force 59 that may be leveraged to 
                support an integrated maritime domain awareness and 
                interdiction capability in the Middle East.
                    (N) Any other matter the Secretary of Defense 
                considers relevant.
            (3) Metrics.--The Secretary of Defense shall identify 
        metrics to assess progress in the implementation of the 
        strategy required by paragraph (1).
            (4) Format.--The strategy required by paragraph (1) shall 
        be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified 
        annex.
    (c) Feasibility Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a 
        study on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a 
        fund for an integrated maritime domain awareness and 
        interdiction capability to protect the people, infrastructure, 
        and territory of ally and partner countries in the Middle East 
        from--
                    (A) manned and unmanned naval systems, undersea 
                warfare capabilities, and anti-ship missiles of Iran 
                and groups affiliated with Iran; and
                    (B) violent extremist organizations, criminal 
                networks, and piracy activities that threaten lawful 
                commerce in the waterways of the Middle East.
            (2) Element.--The study required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include an assessment of funds that could be contributed by 
        ally and partner countries of the United States.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
        the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results 
        of the study conducted under paragraph (1).
    (d) Protection of Sensitive Information.--Any activity carried out 
under this section shall be conducted in a manner that appropriately 
protects sensitive information and the national security interests of 
the United States.
    (e) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
        Appropriations, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the 
        Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
        Appropriations, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the 
        Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
        Representatives.
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