January 11, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 11, 2022

Contact: Sasha Galbreath, Sasha.Galbreath@mail.house.gov 

Trone, Colleagues Launch Abraham Accords Caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman David Trone, along with Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ann Wagner (R-MO), and Brad Schneider (D-IL), announced the launch of the House Abraham Accords Caucus in order to build on the success of the historic Abraham Accords. 

For decades, Congress has played a key role in promoting peace between Israel and its neighbors. The Caucus will provide an opportunity to strengthen the Abraham Accords by encouraging and establishing partnerships among the signatory countries and expanding the Abraham Accords to include countries that do not currently have diplomatic relations with Israel.

The Abraham Accords, which were signed on September 15, 2020, resulted in peace and normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states—the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco—transforming the region, enhancing Israel’s security, creating economic opportunities for Arab states, and advancing vital US national security interests. The Accords built on the success of previous normalization agreements between Israel, Egypt, and Jordan.

“As leaders, it is our duty to promote peace and broker vital partnerships among nations in the Middle East. The establishment of the Abraham Accords Caucus marks an important step toward achieving these goals. This Caucus serves as a model of how Congress can work together to help solve some of the world’s most pressing issues,” said Trone.

“I can think of no better way to begin the new year than by reaffirming our commitment in Congress to supporting long-standing peace in the Middle East,” said Rodgers. “The bipartisan, bicameral Abraham Accords Caucus will provide a unique opportunity for world leaders to come together in our common pursuit of creating a better, safer, and more prosperous world for our children and grandchildren. I am proud to lead this caucus with my colleagues, and I appreciate the support of our partners seeking to uphold and promote the values of human dignity, freedom, and hope around the globe. I am encouraged by the progress we have made, and I look forward to the amazing things we can accomplish together through our shared commitment to a better future in the name of peace.”

“The Abraham Accords Caucus is an incredibly important initiative that will bolster the United States’ commitment to peace in the Middle East. This caucus will build on the achievements of the Abraham Accords and promote stability in the region, counteract destructive regimes, and help maintain robust working relationships between our Israeli and Arab partners,” said Wagner.

“The Abraham Accords have already made historic progress in changing the dynamic of the entire Middle East, and hold the hope for more septs towards regional peace. I am proud to be a founding member of the bipartisan Abraham Accords Caucus, which will further Congress’s work toward ensuring a secure, Jewish and democratic Israel living side by side with a Palestinian state – with peace, security and prosperity for both peoples. I thank Senators Lankford, Rosen, Ernst, and Booker and Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Trone, and Wagner for their partnership in forming this caucus,” said Schneider.

The Caucus is supported by the Atlantic Council, the Abraham Accords Peace Institute, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, Hadassah, the US-Israel Education Association, the Conference of Presidents, the Israel Policy Forum, CUFI Action, Jewish Federations of North America, and B’nai B’rith International.

The companion Senate Caucus is chaired by Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Background

The Senate Abraham Accords Caucus encourages partnerships between the US, Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. The Caucus also provides congressional leadership to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords by promoting the benefits of normalizing relations with Israel.

The Caucus will:

• Encourage and seek to incentivize expansion of the Abraham Accords to include countries that do not currently have diplomatic relations with Israel;
• Highlight the importance of the Abraham Accords to achieving lasting peace in the Middle East between Israel and its neighbors, including through a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that ensures mutual recognition and guarantees that Israelis and Palestinians live side by side with freedom, security, and prosperity;
• Engage partner countries, including European allies, in multilateral efforts to promote the Abraham Accords;
• Foster religious freedom and understanding throughout the Middle East through interfaith and intercultural dialogue between Israel and Abraham Accords countries; and
• Support and work to enable us Government investments, including through the International Development Finance Corporation and US Agency for International Development (USAID), in cooperative projects in furtherance of the Abraham Accords; and
• Serve as a forum for conversations and connections among leaders in Abraham Accords countries as well as Egypt, Jordan, and among the Palestinian people seeking to advance cooperative and sustainable development partnerships in the areas of energy security, water infrastructure, biomedicine, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies with the intent of furthering economic development and cooperation in the region. 

Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Appropriations, Veterans’ Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees. In Congress, Trone is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the mental health and addiction crises, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research.

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