[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3589 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 461
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3589
To require a United States security strategy for the Western
Hemisphere, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 7 (legislative day, February 3), 2022
Mr. Rubio (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Kaine, and Mr.
Coons) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Foreign Relations
July 25, 2022
Reported by Mr. Menendez, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a United States security strategy for the Western
Hemisphere, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Western Hemisphere Security
Strategy Act of 2022''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> It is the sense of Congress that--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the security, stability, prosperity, and state
of democratic governance in countries of the Western Hemisphere
are vital to the national interests of the United
States;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the harmful and malign influence in Latin
America and the Caribbean of the Government of the People's
Republic of China and the Government of the Russian Federation
poses risks to--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the people and countries of Latin
America and the Caribbean; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the national interests of the United
States;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) the United States should expand its engagement
in the Western Hemisphere by--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) strengthening its alliances and
partnerships with countries in the Western
Hemisphere;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) fostering security cooperation among
countries in the Western Hemisphere to facilitate
trade, investment, training, and humanitarian
assistance in the near and long term; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) working with security and law
enforcement agencies in the Western Hemisphere--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) to address the shared
challenges of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (I) narcotics trafficking,
human trafficking, and other forms of
illicit trafficking; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (II) transnational
criminal organizations; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) to support the rule of law,
democracy, and human rights in the
region;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) the United States should maintain credible
security capabilities dedicated to Latin America and the
Caribbean--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) to build partner country
capacity;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) to support the delivery of
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) to deter acts of aggression;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) to respond, if necessary, to regional
threats and threats to the national security of the
United States; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) the Department of State and the Department of
Defense should continue to commit additional assets and
increase investments in the Western Hemisphere so as to
maintain robust United States security partnerships with
countries in the Western Hemisphere.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. SECURITY STRATEGY FOR THE WESTERN
HEMISPHERE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of
Defense shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress
a multi-year strategy, to be known as the ``Western Hemisphere Security
Strategy'', for purposes of enhancing diplomatic engagement and
security assistance and cooperation, promoting regional security and
stability, and advancing United States strategic interests in the
Western Hemisphere.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Elements.--The strategy required by subsection (a)
shall include the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) A proposal for increasing United States
bilateral and multilateral security assistance and cooperation
in Latin America and the Caribbean.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Activities to build the defense and security
capacity of partner countries in Latin America and the
Caribbean.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Activities to counter--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) malign influence by state actors;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) transnational criminal organizations
with connections to--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) illicit trafficking, including
the illicit trafficking of narcotics and
weapons; or</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) terrorism.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Efforts to disrupt, degrade, and counter
transnational illicit trafficking, with an emphasis on illicit
narcotics and precursor chemicals that produce illicit
narcotics.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) Activities to increase transparency in, and
support for, strong and accountable defense, security, and law
enforcement institutions through institutional capacity-
building efforts, including efforts to ensure respect for
internationally recognized human rights and direction and
oversight by civilian authorities.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) Efforts to expand bilateral and multinational
military training exercises with partner countries in Latin
America and the Caribbean.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
initiatives to support partner countries by promoting the
development and growth of responsive institutions through
activities such as--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the provision of appropriate
equipment, training, logistical support;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) transportation of humanitarian
supplies or personnel of foreign security
forces;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) making available, preparing, and
transferring on-hand nonlethal supplies, and providing
training on the use of such supplies, for humanitarian
or health purposes to respond to unforeseen
emergencies;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) the provision of Department of State
humanitarian demining assistance; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) conducting medical support operations
and medical humanitarian missions, such as hospital
ship deployments and base-operating services, to the
extent required by the operation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) Continued support for the women, peace, and
security initiatives of the Department of State to support the
capacity of partner countries in the Western Hemisphere--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) to ensure--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) the safety and security of
women and girls; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) that the rights of women and
girls are protected; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) to promote the meaningful
participation of women in the defense and security
sectors.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) Professional military education initiatives,
such as the Department of State's International Military and
Education Training program.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (10) A detailed assessment of the resources
required to carry out such strategy and a plan to be executed
not later than fiscal year 2023.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Implementation.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the
date on which the Western Hemisphere Security Strategy is
submitted under subsection (a), the Secretary of State and the
Secretary of Defense shall commence implementation of the
strategy.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the
date on which the implementation of the Western Hemisphere
Security Strategy commences, and every 180 days thereafter, the
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly
provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress on
the implementation of the strategy.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Termination.--The authority under this section
shall terminate on the date that is three years after the date
of the enactment of this Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this
section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the
Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Western Hemisphere Security Strategy
Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the security, stability, prosperity, and state of
democratic governance in countries of the Western Hemisphere
are vital to the national interests of the United States;
(2) the harmful and malign influence in Latin America and
the Caribbean of the Government of the People's Republic of
China and the Government of the Russian Federation poses risks
to--
(A) the people and countries of Latin America and
the Caribbean; and
(B) the national interests of the United States;
(3) the United States should expand its engagement in the
Western Hemisphere by--
(A) strengthening its alliances and partnerships
with countries in the Western Hemisphere;
(B) fostering security cooperation among countries
in the Western Hemisphere to facilitate trade,
investment, training, and humanitarian assistance in
the near and long term; and
(C) working with security and law enforcement
agencies in the Western Hemisphere--
(i) to address the shared challenges of--
(I) narcotics trafficking, human
trafficking, and other forms of illicit
trafficking; and
(II) transnational criminal
organizations; and
(ii) to support the rule of law, democracy,
and human rights in the region;
(4) the United States should maintain credible security
capabilities dedicated to Latin America and the Caribbean--
(A) to build partner country capacity;
(B) to support the delivery of humanitarian
assistance and disaster relief;
(C) to deter acts of aggression; and
(D) to respond, if necessary, to regional threats
and threats to the national security of the United
States; and
(5) the Department of State and the Department of Defense
should continue to commit additional assets and increase
investments in the Western Hemisphere so as to maintain robust
United States security partnerships with countries in the
Western Hemisphere.
SEC. 3. SECURITY STRATEGY FOR THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of
Defense shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress
a multi-year strategy, to be known as the ``Western Hemisphere Security
Strategy'', for purposes of enhancing diplomatic engagement and
security assistance and cooperation, promoting regional security and
stability, and advancing United States strategic interests in the
Western Hemisphere.
(b) Elements.--The strategy required by subsection (a) shall
include the following:
(1) A proposal for increasing United States bilateral and
multilateral security assistance and cooperation in Latin
America and the Caribbean.
(2) Activities to build the defense and security capacity
of partner countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
(3) Activities to counter--
(A) malign influence by state actors;
(B) transnational criminal organizations with
connections to--
(i) illicit trafficking, including the
illicit trafficking of narcotics and weapons;
or
(ii) terrorism; and
(C) corruption and kleptocracy in governments of
countries in the Western Hemisphere.
(4) Efforts to disrupt, degrade, and counter transnational
illicit trafficking, with an emphasis on illicit narcotics and
precursor chemicals that produce illicit narcotics.
(5) Activities to increase transparency in, and support
for, strong and accountable defense, security, and law
enforcement institutions through institutional capacity-
building efforts, including efforts to ensure respect for
internationally recognized human rights and direction and
oversight by civilian authorities.
(6) Programs and initiatives to enhance public diplomacy
and engagement with the people of the Western Hemisphere for
the purpose of demonstrating that the security of their
countries is enhanced to a greater extent if their countries
are aligned with the United States and democratic values rather
than with authoritarian countries such as the People's Republic
of China and the Russian Federation.
(7) Efforts to expand bilateral and multinational military
training exercises with partner countries in Latin America and
the Caribbean.
(8) Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief initiatives
to support partner countries by promoting the development and
growth of responsive institutions through activities such as--
(A) the provision of appropriate equipment,
training, logistical support;
(B) transportation of humanitarian supplies or
personnel of foreign security forces;
(C) making available, preparing, and transferring
on-hand nonlethal supplies, and providing training on
the use of such supplies, for humanitarian or health
purposes to respond to unforeseen emergencies;
(D) the provision of Department of State
humanitarian demining assistance; and
(E) conducting medical support operations and
medical humanitarian missions, such as hospital ship
deployments and base-operating services, to the extent
required by the operation.
(9) Continued support for the women, peace, and security
initiatives of the Department of State to support the capacity
of partner countries in the Western Hemisphere--
(A) to ensure--
(i) the safety and security of women and
girls; and
(ii) that the rights of women and girls are
protected; and
(B) to promote the meaningful participation of
women in the defense and security sectors.
(10) Professional military education initiatives, such as
the Department of State's International Military and Education
Training program.
(11) A detailed assessment of the resources required to
carry out such strategy and a plan to be executed not later
than fiscal year 2023.
(c) Implementation.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date on
which the Western Hemisphere Security Strategy is submitted
under subsection (a), the Secretary of State and the Secretary
of Defense shall commence implementation of the strategy.
(2) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the date on
which the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Security
Strategy commences, and every 180 days thereafter, the
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly
provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress on
the implementation of the strategy.
(3) Termination.--The authority under this section shall
terminate on the date that is three years after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(d) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Armed Services of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
SEC. 4. REPORT ON EFFORTS TO CAPTURE AND DETAIN UNITED STATES CITIZENS
AS HOSTAGES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on efforts by
the Maduro regime of Venezuela to detain United States citizens and
lawful permanent residents.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include,
regarding the arrest, capture, detainment, and imprisonment of United
States citizens and lawful permanent residents--
(1) the names, positions, and institutional affiliation of
Venezuelan individuals, or those acting on their behalf, who
have engaged in such activities;
(2) a description of any role played by transnational
criminal organizations, and an identification of such
organizations; and
(3) where relevant, an assessment of whether and how United
States citizens and lawful permanent residents have been lured
to Venezuela.
(c) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted
in unclassified form, but shall include a classified annex, which shall
include a list of the total number of United States citizens and lawful
permanent residents detained or imprisoned in Venezuela as of the date
on which the report is submitted.
Calendar No. 461
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3589
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a United States security strategy for the Western
Hemisphere, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 25, 2022
Reported with an amendment