I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2973 
To require the Secretary of Defense to develop, in cooperation with allies 
and partners in the Middle East, an integrated maritime domain aware-
ness and interdiction capability, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 27, 2023 
Mrs. RODGERS of Washington (for herself, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. TRONE, Mrs. 
WAGNER, Mr. BACON, and Mr. PANETTA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition 
to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Defense to develop, in coopera-
tion with allies and partners in the Middle East, an 
integrated maritime domain awareness and interdiction 
capability, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maritime Architecture 
and Response to International Terrorism In the Middle 
East Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘MARITIME Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. MIDDLE EAST INTEGRATED MARITIME DOMAIN 
AWARENESS 
AND 
INTERDICTION 
CAPA-
BILITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of State, shall seek to build 
upon the historic opportunities created by the Abraham 
Accords and the incorporation of Israel into the area of 
responsibility of the United States Central Command to 
develop a Middle East integrated maritime domain aware-
ness and interdiction capability for the purpose of pro-
tecting the people, infrastructure, and territory of such 
countries from— 
(1) manned and unmanned naval systems, un-
dersea warfare capabilities, and anti-ship missiles of 
Iran and groups affiliated with Iran; and 
(2) violent extremist organizations, criminal 
networks, and piracy activities that threaten lawful 
commerce in the waterways within the area of re-
sponsibility of the United States Naval Forces Cen-
tral Command. 
(b) STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of 
State, shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
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Congress a strategy for the cooperation described in 
subsection (a). 
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The strategy 
required by paragraph (1) shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) An assessment of the threats posed to 
ally or partner countries in the Middle East 
by— 
(i) manned and unmanned naval sys-
tems, undersea warfare capabilities, and 
anti-ship missiles of Iran and groups affili-
ated with Iran; and 
(ii) violent extremist organizations, 
criminal networks, and piracy activities 
that threaten lawful commerce in the wa-
terways within the area of responsibility of 
the United States Naval Forces Central 
Command. 
(B) A description of existing multilateral 
maritime partnerships currently led by the 
United States Naval Forces Central Command, 
including the Combined Maritime Forces (in-
cluding its associated Task Forces 150, 151, 
152, and 153), the International Maritime Se-
curity Construct, and the Navy’s Task Force 
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59, and a discussion of the role of such partner-
ships in building an integrated maritime secu-
rity capability. 
(C) A description of progress made in ad-
vancing the integration of Israel into the exist-
ing multilateral maritime partnerships de-
scribed in subparagraph (B). 
(D) A description of efforts among coun-
tries in the Middle East to coordinate intel-
ligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance capa-
bilities and indicators and warnings with re-
spect to the threats described in subparagraph 
(A), and a description of any impediment to op-
timizing such efforts. 
(E) A description of the current Depart-
ment of Defense systems that, in coordination 
with ally and partner countries in the Middle 
East— 
(i) provide awareness of and defend 
against such threats; and 
(ii) address current capability gaps. 
(F) An explanation of the manner in which 
an integrated maritime domain awareness and 
interdiction architecture would improve collec-
tive security in the Middle East. 
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(G) A description of existing and planned 
efforts to engage ally and partner countries in 
the Middle East in establishing such an archi-
tecture. 
(H) An identification of the elements of 
such an architecture that may be acquired and 
operated by ally and partner countries in the 
Middle East, and a list of such elements for 
each such ally and partner. 
(I) An identification of the elements of 
such an architecture that may only be provided 
and operated by members of the United States 
Armed Forces. 
(J) An identification of any challenge to 
optimizing such an architecture in the Middle 
East. 
(K) An assessment of progress and key 
challenges in the implementation of the strategy 
required by paragraph (1) using the metrics 
identified in accordance with paragraph (3). 
(L) Recommendations for improvements in 
the implementation of such strategy based on 
such metrics. 
(M) An assessment of any capabilities or 
lessons from the Navy’s Task Force 59 that 
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may be leveraged to support an integrated mar-
itime domain awareness and interdiction capa-
bility in the Middle East. 
(N) Any other matter the Secretary of De-
fense considers relevant. 
(3) METRICS.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
identify metrics to assess progress in the implemen-
tation of the strategy required by paragraph (1). 
(4) FORMAT.—The strategy required by para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but 
may include a classified annex. 
(c) FEASIBILITY STUDY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall conduct a study on the feasibility and advis-
ability of establishing a fund for an integrated mari-
time domain awareness and interdiction capability to 
protect the people, infrastructure, and territory of 
ally and partner countries in the Middle East 
from— 
(A) manned and unmanned naval systems, 
undersea warfare capabilities, and anti-ship 
missiles of Iran and groups affiliated with Iran; 
and 
(B) violent extremist organizations, crimi-
nal networks, and piracy activities that threaten 
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lawful commerce in the waterways of the Middle 
East. 
(2) ELEMENT.—The study required by para-
graph (1) shall include an assessment of funds that 
could be contributed by ally and partner countries of 
the United States. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report on the results of the study con-
ducted under paragraph (1). 
(d) PROTECTION OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION.—Any 
activity carried out under this section shall be conducted 
in a manner that appropriately protects sensitive informa-
tion and the national security interests of the United 
States. 
(e) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate commit-
tees of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on 
Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee on In-
telligence of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on 
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