The House Foreign Affairs Committee on Oct. 19 approved a bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) that would require the Department of Defense to develop a strategy to counter maritime threats to U.S. allies in the Middle East.
Iran’s material and financial role in Hamas’ terror attack on Israel that led to the murder of more than 1,400 Israelis and at least 30 Americans underscores the need to develop a comprehensive maritime strategy between the United States and its partners in the region to defend against shared threats, the congresswoman’s staff said.
Rep. McMorris Rodgers introduced the Maritime Architecture and Response to International Terrorism In the Middle East, or the MARITIME Act of 2023, H.R. 2973, in April. The bipartisan bill currently has 22 cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL).
“Twelve days ago, Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists launched a full-scale attack on our closest ally in the Middle East. They came by land, air, and sea to brutally murder innocent civilians and anyone who stood in their way,” McMorris Rodgers said. “… My colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee responded to these acts of unspeakable evil by passing my bipartisan bill to strengthen the security cooperation between Israel, the United States, and the Abraham Accords countries to make sure we never let something like this happen again,” she added.
The bill will advance to the full U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.