Just over a month ago, Washington D.C. underwent a democratic political transformation. The power in the White House and in Senate has shifted in favor of the Democratic party, while Republicans decreased their deficit in the House of Representatives. While the 117th Congress prioritizes COVID related issues and other urgent matters, our adversaries across the world continue to pose new challenges to United States and our allies. That is why we are excited to share with you the extensive work EMET has been focusing on with the new Congress in just a short period of time.
1. Legislation to Strengthen Reporting of Actions Taken Against the Normalization of Relations with Israel
The EMET policy team has met with the office of Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) numerous times in February, ahead of the reintroduction of the bipartisan bill S.4482 by Senator Cory Booker and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) in the 116th Congress. EMET has discussed anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, and human rights concerns in the Arab world, which have made their way into the new legislation. EMET plans to continue advocating these concerns with Congressional offices and intends to follow up with a companion bill on the House side as well.
2. Congressional Letter to the Secretary of State Regarding Iran Stationing Intercontinental Missiles (ICBMs) in Venezuela
Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ-4) and EMET have continued the collaboration on the concern of Iran stationing ICBMs in Venezuela to threaten the United States. Last year, we assisted Representative Paul Gosar in drafting and circulating a Congressional Letter to the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, addressing these concerns. In light of the change of guard in Washington D.C., Representative Gosar and EMET will circulate a similar letter with updated Iranian developments and breaches of sanctions, based on EMET’s research, to the new Secretary of State, Tony Blinken.
3. Congressional Letter to the President of the United States Regarding Pay-For-Slay and Concerning Appointments to Key Positions
EMET has teamed up with Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO-5) to help draft and circulate a congressional letter highlighting the troubling policy of refunding of the Palestinian Authority, inadvertently sponsoring the Palestinian Authority’s Pay-For-Slay program. Additionally, the letter includes various national security concerns that arisen with the appointments of Robert Malley as the U.S. Envoy to Iran and Maher Bitar as Director of Intelligence at the National Security Council. Needless to say, the concerns do not question their qualifications, national origin, political identity, or merit. The concerns are based on national security interests and implications to the stability of the Middle East, security of Israel, and intelligence sharing with Israel. Since drafting and circulating the letter, there have been additional appointments in question. EMET has been tracking and discussing those concerns with Congressional offices as well.
4. Assistance to Egypt and Stability in the Middle East
EMET has been contacted by the office of Senator James Lankford (R-OK) to advise on U.S. foreign policy approaches to Middle East stability through the strengthening our alliance with Egypt. EMET has advised on several alternatives. We anticipate for our policy recommendations to become a drafted bill in the near future.
5. Nuclear Talks with Iran
A Congressional office, who has requested to remain anonymous in the meantime, has approached EMET’s foreign policy team to research and recommend policy issues and concerns regarding the future nuclear talks with Iran. The Congressional office has also asked that when discussed, we keep this topic vague. What we can share, however, are EMET’s efforts to ensure America and Israel’s national security, the peace and stability in the Middle East, and that if the Biden Administration were to negotiate another deal with Iran, that we do not commit the same mistakes as we did in the JCPOA.
The new Congress has just begun, and EMET is working hard with Congressional offices on several fronts and on numerous initiatives. We will continue to monitor developments in the Middle East and anti-Semitism, conduct our weekly webinars, publish Op-Eds in leading media outlets, and advocate on Capitol Hill.
Thank you,
Sarah Stern
President and Founder of EMET
