Citing Israel’s discovery of an estimated 16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Mediterranean Sea in 12/2012, this bill recognizes energy collaboration with Israel as a strategic interest of the U.S. and urges closer governmental, economic, and academic ties between the two.
If passed, the bill would extend authorizations of specific grant-making programs—the Binational Industrial Research and Development program and the Binational Science Foundation—through 2024, limit the federal share of funding for these programs to 50%, and expand the programs’ scope to include natural gas, water desalination, and other water treatment technologies. The bill would also authorize the establishment of a joint U.S.-Israeli center for research on energy technologies in connection with the new gas finds. Finally, it would urge the creation of an Energy Cooperation Working Group to improve efforts within the semiannual U.S.-Israel Strategic Dialogue.
7 cosponsors (4D, 3R).
See also: S. 1491 of 9/10/13 and H.R. 3677 of 12/9/13.
Last major action: 2/5/14 Reported by the Comm. on Energy and Commerce.