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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The United States and Israel have a long history of |
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being strong allies, sharing many mutually beneficial values and |
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interests; and |
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WHEREAS, Europe needs additional sources of natural gas, and |
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the United States has repeatedly urged Europe to wean itself off |
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Russian natural gas and to pursue broader interests in the Middle |
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East; and |
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WHEREAS, The proposed Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline, |
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which would connect the natural gas fields of Israel to southern |
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Europe by way of Cyprus and Greece, has previously had bipartisan |
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support in the United States; as vice president under Barack Obama, |
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Joe Biden was a vocal supporter of the project, and in 2020, with |
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the backing of former president Donald Trump's administration, |
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Israel, Cyprus, and Greece signed an agreement aiming to complete |
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the $6 billion pipeline by 2025; and |
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WHEREAS, In January 2022, President Joe Biden informed the |
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countries that the United States was withdrawing its support for |
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the project, citing environmental concerns as his administration |
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attempts to move away from fossil fuels; and |
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WHEREAS, Natural gas is an important low-emissions fuel for |
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improving human life, and Israel has abundant natural gas reserves |
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offshore, in excess of what is needed for its own domestic use; the |
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completion of the Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline from Israel to |
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southern Europe would be a benefit to the region and to all of the |
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countries involved in the project; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby respectfully urge the federal government to |
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support construction of the Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of |
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Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to the |
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president of the United States, to the president of the Senate and |
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the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States |
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Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress |
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with the request that this resolution be entered in the |
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Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United |
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States of America. |