Defense Provisions of American-Hellenic-Israeli Security Act Submitted to National Defense Authorize Act

WASHINGTON – On August 28, 2025, U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) submitted an amendment for the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act that would authorize the defense sections of H.R. 2510: The American-Hellenic-Israeli Eastern Mediterranean Counterterrorism and Maritime Security Partnership Act of 2025, one of the most co-sponsored bills related to U.S.-Greece and U.S.-Republic of Cyprus relations in the 119th Congress. H.R. 2510 was co-led by Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), and Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ) and was initiated by the American Hellenic Institute following advocacy for increased U.S. involvement in the multilateral 3+1 program between Greece, the Republic of Cyprus, Israel, and the United States.

The American-Hellenic-Israeli Security Act focuses on authorizing training and cooperation programs for maritime security and counterterrorism. The defense provisions for the bill includes:

• Directing the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with the Secretary of State to create a 3+1 counterterrorism training structure (‘‘Counterterrorism Education for Readiness Building in the East-Mediterranean Region to Unify Security” or ‘‘C.E.R.B.E.R.U.S.”) which will be implemented at C.Y.C.L.O.P.S. Authorizing $2 million annually from FY26-FY29 for creation and implementation of this training.

• Directing the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with the Secretary of State to create a 3+1 maritime security training structure (“Training and Readiness Initiative for Regional East-Mediterranean Maritime-Security Enforcement” or ‘‘T.R.I.R.E.M.E.”) which will be implemented at the Greek Navy Base at Souda Bay. Authorizing $2 million annually from FY26-FY29 for creation and implementation of this training.

• Authorizing $8 million to expand counterterrorism facilities at the Cyprus Center for Land, Open-seas, and Port Security (C.Y.C.L.O.P.S.) and authorizing $2 million annually from FY26-FY29 for general support of C.Y.C.L.O.P.S.

• Authorizing $8 million to create a 3+1 maritime security training facility at the Greek Navy Base in Souda Bay and authorizing $2 million annually from FY26-FY29 for support of this new facility.

To read the amendment, click here.