U.S. Senators Ted Budd and Joni Ernst, both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced the Abraham Accords Defense Cooperation Act on Mar. 26. The proposed legislation would require the Secretary of Defense to establish a new initiative aimed at strengthening regional defense partnerships among countries that are part of the Abraham Accords, as well as encouraging other Arab nations to join these normalization agreements.
The bill seeks to create a dedicated funding stream for military cooperation among Abraham Accords countries in order to deter aggression from Iran and its proxies across the Middle East. This comes amid ongoing concerns about Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. allies in the region.
“Many of our Arab allies in the Middle East, such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), signatories of the Abraham Accords, remain in the crosshairs of Iranian missiles and drones. Iran continues to carry out attacks not only on regional Arab allies but is also intentionally targeting American military installations in the region and our ally Israel. For far too long Iran—the world’s greatest sponsor of state terror—and its proxies have threatened U.S. national and economic security while also disrupting peace in the Middle East. By bolstering defense cooperation among Abraham Accords countries, we can strengthen regional partnerships and fortify deterrence against Iranian aggression,” said Senator Budd.
Senator Ernst said: “The Abraham Accords delivered what Iran fears most, a united front committed to peace instead of chaos. As co-chair of the bipartisan Abraham Accords Caucus, I have been proud to build upon the success of the Accords through my DEFEND Act and now through the Abraham Accords Defense Cooperation Act to unite our partners against Iran-backed terror. When our partners are prepared to deter the Iranian regime and its proxies, our world and our homeland are safer.”
According to background information provided with this announcement, the historic Abraham Accords were negotiated by the United States in 2020 with Israel reaching normalization agreements with several nations including UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and Kazakhstan (in 2025). The new act would require initiatives such as counter-unmanned aircraft system capabilities development; ground-based air defense; special operations force development; joint air or naval exercises; along with submission by Defense officials of strategy reports detailing objectives and budget needs for Congress’s review.
Senator Budd has a longstanding record on issues related to national security according to his official website. He serves on key committees including Armed Services, Intelligence, and Commerce after winning election following three terms representing North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District.He grew up on a family farm in Davie County, emphasizes values like faith and hard work,and is involved locally as an assistant scoutmaster.Budd also serves on North Carolinians for Home Education’s board, promotes homeschooling alongside his wife Amy Kate—whom he met during a Christian mission trip—and raises three children.He holds degrees from Appalachian State University (Business Administration), Dallas Theological Seminary (Master’s), and Wake Forest University (MBA).
Looking ahead,the introduction of this legislation signals continued efforts by Congress members like Budd toward fostering greater collaboration between U.S., Israeli, and Arab partners amid persistent threats from Iran. Observers will be watching how this proposal advances through legislative channels.
