Schneider Priorities Included in NDAA

WASHINGTON -- Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) had several of his priorities included in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed and was signed into law this month. 

“I am proud of my bipartisan work that was included in this years National Defense Authorization Act, including provisions to promote the Abraham Accords and expand normalization in the region, bolster security cooperation with Israel, and support our troops—including the largest pay raise for servicemembers in over twenty years,” said Schneider. “During a frustratingly unproductive year under the partisan Republican majority, I am thankful we were able to come together and pass this critical legislation to support U.S. national security.”

Congressman Schneider secured the following provisions in the final bill that was signed into law:

• MARITIME Act: This important legislation, co-led by Congressman Schneider and marked up along bipartisan lines in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, will increase security cooperation between the Abraham Accords countries and the United States in order to combat increasing aggression by Iran and to support Isarel in its efforts to combat Hamas.
• Extension of U.S.-Israel Anti-Tunnel Cooperation: This year’s NDAA included an extension of this program, based on legislation introduced by Schneider. This program helps bolster Israel’s ability to detect, map, and eliminate tunnels used by terrorist organizations in the region to support and launch attacks against Israel.
• Special Envoy: Included within this legislation was language championed by Schneider to create within the State Department an Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for the Abraham Accords, Negev Forum, and Related Integration and Normalization Fora and Agreements. This new Envoy will focus on expanding the historic Abraham Accords to promote normalization between Israel and other countries in the region, promoting increased economic interdependence and security cooperation.
• Intelligence Assessment of Abraham Accords: This legislation requires the Central Intelligence Agency to assess the historic impact and effects resulting from the success of the Abraham Accords, an effort supported by Schneider and the Abraham Accords Caucus, of which he is co-chair. Having a better sense of the impacts these historic agreements have will better assist the United States in building upon that success to expand security cooperation and stability in the region.

Schneider is co-chair of the House Abraham Accords Caucus, which focuses on expanding the normalization efforts spurred by the U.S.-led efforts begun under the historic Abraham Accords. This work also builds on the work furthered by Schneider’s Israel Relations Normalization Act, which was signed into law as part of the FY2021 omnibus appropriations legislation.