Congress: 118 · Status: active · Israel/Palestine classification: pro-Israel
Data (JSON) — machine-readable record of this bill (identifiers, sponsor, classification, actions, and the member-by-member vote breakdown).
Official record on Congress.gov — full text, actions, and cosponsor history for HR 2973.
Sponsor: Rodgers, Cathy (R-WA)
Maritime Architecture and Response to International Terrorism In the Middle East Act of 2023 or the MARITIME Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to seek to develop an integrated maritime domain awareness and interdiction capability for the Middle East to protect against specified maritime threats in the region. DOD must also submit to Congress (1) a strategy for achieving this capability in cooperation with regional partners and allies; and (2) a study on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a fund to support this effort, including an assessment of contributions that could be made by allies and partner countries.
This bill directs the Pentagon to develop a maritime surveillance and interdiction system for the Middle East to counter regional maritime threats, and to submit to Congress a strategy for building it with regional partners plus a study on creating a funding mechanism that could include contributions from allied countries.
This establishes a framework for U.S. military coordination in Middle Eastern waters, which could affect shipping routes and naval operations relevant to Israel and surrounding regions. The bill's focus on regional partnerships and cost-sharing may shape how the U.S. structures security arrangements in a strategically sensitive area.