SCHNEIDER, BILIRAKIS LEAD BIPARTISAN EFFORT URGING SECRETARY RUBIO TO PRIORITIZE THE GREAT SEA INTERCONNECTOR TO STRENGTHEN COORDINATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
LINCOLNSHIRE, IL – Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) led a bipartisan group of colleagues urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. International Development Corporation CEO Ben Black to prioritize the Great Sea Interconnector to strengthen coordination and partnerships in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Schneider and Bilirakis introduced the bipartisan Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act in May 2025 to bolster the region’s role as a strategic link between India, the Middle East, and Europe. It passed out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in January and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in June.
“The Eastern Mediterranean will play a vitally important role as a gateway to IMEC, and the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) is a key strategic infrastructure project central to the development of the corridor,” the members wrote.
“The United States has a clear interest in ensuring that this transformation strengthens our partners, diversifies energy routes, deepens regional integration and advances a transparent alternative to infrastructure dominated by strategic competitors,” the members continued. “By linking the electricity grids of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, the GSI project will connect key U.S. partners across a strategically vital corridor.”
“The United States has a longstanding interest in promoting stability, security and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the members concluded. “We urge you to prioritize this project and request a classified briefing to discuss geopolitical challenges to its completion.”
The letter was also signed by Reps. Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Craig Goldman (TX-12), and Haley Stevens (MI-11).
View the full text of the letter here and below.
Dear Secretary Rubio and Mr. Black:
The successful development and growth of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) will be critical to the future stability and prosperity of this important region, while significantly advancing the United States’ national interests and security. The Eastern Mediterranean will play a vitally important role as a gateway to IMEC, and the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) is a key strategic infrastructure project central to the development of the corridor.
As strong supporters of America’s partnerships with Greece, Cyprus and Israel, we urge the Department of State and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to prioritize the Great Sea Interconnector.
The Eastern Mediterranean is emerging as a central hub for energy and infrastructure connecting Europe, the Middle East and India. The United States has a clear interest in ensuring that this transformation strengthens our partners, diversifies energy routes, deepens regional integration and advances a transparent alternative to infrastructure dominated by strategic competitors. By linking the electricity grids of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, the GSI project will connect key U.S. partners across a strategically vital corridor. It will help end Cyprus’s isolation from the European electricity transmission system, strengthen Israel’s security of supply and create a new platform for clean, reliable and bidirectional power flows between Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The GSI project also advances the objectives of the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act, bipartisan legislation that recognizes the Eastern Mediterranean as a critical link between India, the Middle East and Europe. That legislation calls for elevating the region in U.S. foreign policy, supporting cross-border infrastructure and energy interconnectors and strengthening strategic coordination with Greece, Cyprus, Israel, Egypt and other regional partners.
The United States has a longstanding interest in promoting stability, security and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean. We urge you to prioritize this project and request a classified briefing to discuss geopolitical challenges to its completion.
Thank you for your consideration.