Lawler, Torres Applaud Committee Passage of Bill Establishing Special Envoy for Abraham Accords

By Hamodia Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. −U.S. Representatives Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Ritchie Torres (NY-15) applauded the passage out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee this week of the bipartisan legislation, H.R. 3099 – the “Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords Act”, and pushed for the bill to be swiftly brought to the floor for a full vote and final passage.

H.R. 3099 requires the State Department to establish an ambassador-level Special Envoy position for the Abraham Accords – the landmark U.S.-sanctioned 2020 normalization agreements between Israel and Arab countries in the Middle East. The Special Envoy would be responsible for coordinating on behalf of the U.S. government with regional ambassadors, nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders to strengthen and expand the Accords.

H.R. 3099 calls for the Special Envoy to possess high-level diplomatic experience and be knowledgeable about the Arab and Israeli worlds, economies, securities, and human rights and could come from within the State Department. The envoy would be appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and report directly to the Secretary of State.

“H.R. 3099 is about demonstrating our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East as well as cultivating the growth of the Abraham Accords,” said Rep. Lawler. “It’s about showing our allies and every nation around the world how much we value normalized relations with Israel and that we’re steadfast in our support and willing to invest our time, resources, and expertise in ensuring the Accords fulfill their promise.”

“If there’s one issue that should transcend partisan politics, it should be peace in the Middle East and the Abraham Accords, which is why I’m grateful to Rep. Lawler and my colleagues on House Foreign Affairs for their bipartisan support of our legislation,” said Rep. Torres. “The U.S. has a moral and strategic obligation to build on the momentum and progress of the Abraham Accords and not allow these landmark normalization agreements to fall victim to bureaucratic neglect. I’m hopeful to see this bill on the House floor very soon for a vote and final passage.”

A bipartisan group of more than 20 House members are currently signed on as cosponsors, and the legislation has been endorsed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the American Jewish Council (AJC).