89R1142 KSM-F
By: Dorazio H.C.R. No. 15
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The United States and Israel have a long history of
being strong allies, sharing many mutually beneficial values and
interests; and
WHEREAS, Europe needs additional sources of natural gas, and
the United States has repeatedly urged Europe to wean itself off
Russian natural gas and to pursue broader interests in the Middle
East; and
WHEREAS, The proposed Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline,
which would connect the natural gas fields of Israel to southern
Europe by way of Cyprus and Greece, has previously had bipartisan
support in the United States; as vice president under Barack Obama,
Joe Biden was a vocal supporter of the project, and in 2020, with
the backing of former president Donald Trump's administration,
Israel, Cyprus, and Greece signed an agreement aiming to complete
the $6 billion pipeline by 2025; and
WHEREAS, In January 2022, President Joe Biden informed the
countries that the United States was withdrawing its support for
the project, citing environmental concerns as his administration
attempts to move away from fossil fuels; and
WHEREAS, Natural gas is an important low-emissions fuel for
improving human life, and Israel has abundant natural gas reserves
offshore, in excess of what is needed for its own domestic use; the
completion of the Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline from Israel to
southern Europe would be a benefit to the region and to all of the
countries involved in the project; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby respectfully urge the federal government to support
construction of the Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of
Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the
members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that
this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.