[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2848-S2849]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 717. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed

[[Page S2849]]

by him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title XII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 12___. UNITED STATES SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR THE 
                   ABRAHAM ACCORDS, NEGEV FORUM, AND RELATED 
                   NORMALIZATION AGREEMENTS.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established within the 
     Department of State the Office of the Special Presidential 
     Envoy for the Abraham Accords, Negev Forum, and Related 
     Integration and Normalization Fora and Agreements (referred 
     to in this section as the ``Regional Integration Office'').
       (b) Leadership.--
       (1) Special envoy.--The Regional Integration Office shall 
     be headed by the Special Presidential Envoy for the Abraham 
     Accords, Negev Forum, and Related Normalization Agreements 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Special Envoy''), who 
     shall--
       (A) be appointed by the President, by and with the advice 
     and consent of the Senate; and
       (B) report directly to the Secretary of State.
       (2) Rank.--The Special Envoy shall have the rank and status 
     of ambassador.
       (c) Limitation.--The Special Envoy shall not be a dual-
     hatted official with other responsibilities within the 
     Department of State or the executive branch.
       (d) Duties and Responsibilities.--The Special Envoy shall--
       (1) lead diplomatic engagement--
       (A) to strengthen and expand the Negev Forum, Abraham 
     Accords, and related normalization agreements with Israel, 
     including promoting initiatives that benefit the people of 
     key partners in regional integration or other regional actors 
     in order to encourage such expansion; and
       (B) to support the work of regional integration;
       (2) implement the policy of the United States to expand 
     normalization and support greater regional integration--
       (A) within the Middle East and North Africa; and
       (B) between the Middle East and North Africa and other key 
     regions, including sub-Saharan Africa, the Indo-Pacific 
     region, and beyond;
       (3) work to deliver tangible economic and security benefits 
     for the citizens of Abraham Accords countries, Negev Forum 
     countries, and countries that are members of other related 
     normalization agreements;
       (4) serve as the ministerial liaison for the United States 
     to the Negev Forum, and other emerging normalization and 
     integration fora, as necessary, and provide senior 
     representation at events, steering committee meetings, and 
     other relevant diplomatic engagements relating to the Negev 
     Forum or other regional integration bodies;
       (5) coordinate all cross-agency engagements and strategies 
     in support of normalization efforts with other relevant 
     officials and agencies;
       (6) ensure that the appropriate congressional committees 
     are regularly informed about the work of the Regional 
     Integration Office;
       (7) initiate and advance negotiations on a framework for an 
     economic and security partnership with the Negev Forum 
     countries, other key partners in regional integration, and 
     other regional actors; and
       (8) oppose efforts to delegitimize Israel and legal 
     barriers to normalization with Israel.
       (e) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     whole-of-government resources should be harnessed to ensure 
     the successful performance by the Special Envoy of the duties 
     described in subsection (d).
       (f) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 
     the Special Envoy shall submit to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
     of the House of Representatives a report on actions taken by 
     all relevant Federal agencies--
       (1) to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords and the 
     work of the Negev Forum and future structures and 
     organizations; and
       (2) towards the objectives of regional integration.
       (g) Termination.--This section shall terminate on the date 
     that is 6 years after date of the enactment of this Act.
       (h) Rule of Construction.--If, on the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, an individual has already been designated, 
     consistent with the requirements and responsibilities 
     described in subsections (b), (c), and (d) and section 1 of 
     the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 
     2651a), the requirements under subsection (b) shall be 
     considered to be satisfied with respect to such individual 
     until the date on which such individual no longer serves as 
     the Special Envoy.
                                 ______