[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6846 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6846
To require the United States Government to assist in the establishment
of national security councils in specified countries.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 15, 2023
Mr. Waltz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the United States Government to assist in the establishment
of national security councils in specified countries.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Connecting Oceania's Nations with
Vanguard Exercises and National Empowerment Act of 2023'' or the
``CONVENE Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Select
Committee on Intelligence, the Armed Services
Committee, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Permanent
Select Committee on Intelligence, the Armed Services
Committee, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives.
(2) National security council.--The term ``national
security council'' means, with respect to a specified country,
an intergovernmental body under the jurisdiction of the freely
elected government of the specified country that acts as the
primary coordinating entity for security cooperation, disaster
response, and the activities described in section 3(e).
(3) Specified country.--The term ``specified country''
means--
(A) the Federated States of Micronesia;
(B) the Republic of the Marshall Islands; and
(C) the Republic of Palau.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCILS OF SPECIFIED COUNTRIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in consultation with other
relevant Federal departments and agencies, as appropriate, may consult
and engage with each specified country to advise and provide assistance
to a national security council (including by developing a national
security council, if appropriate), or to identify a similar
coordinating body for national security matters, comprised of citizens
of the specified country--
(1) that enables the specified country--
(A) to better coordinate with the United States
Government, including the Armed Forces, as appropriate;
(B) to increase cohesion on activities, including
emergency humanitarian response, law enforcement, and
maritime security activities; and
(C) to provide trained professionals to serve as
members of the committees of the specified country
established under the applicable Compact of Free
Association; and
(2) for the purpose of enhancing resilience capabilities
and protecting the people, infrastructure, and territory of the
specified country from malign actions.
(b) Composition.--The Secretary of State, respecting the unique
needs of each specified country, may seek to ensure that the national
security council, or other identified coordinating body, of the
specified country is composed of sufficient staff and members to enable
the activities described in subsection (e).
(c) Standards for Equipment and Services.--The Secretary of State
may work with the national security council, or other identified
coordinating body, of each specified country to ensure that--
(1) the equipment and services used by the national
security council or other identified coordinating body are
compliant with security standards so as to minimize the risk of
cyberattacks or espionage;
(2) the national security council or other identified
coordinating body takes all reasonable efforts not to procure
or use systems, equipment, or software that originates from any
entity identified under section 1260H of the William M. (Mac)
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
(Public Law 116-283; 10 U.S.C. 113 note); and
(3) to the extent practicable, the equipment and services
used by the national security council or other identified
coordinating body are interoperable with the equipment and
services used by the national security councils, or other
identified coordinating bodies, of the other specified
countries.
(d) Report on Implementation.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 2 years,
the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a report that includes--
(A) an assessment as to whether a national security
council or a similar formal coordinating body is
helping or would help achieve the objectives described
in subsection (a) at acceptable financial and
opportunity cost;
(B) a description of all actions taken by the
United States Government to assist in the
identification or maintenance of a national security
council, or other identified coordinating body, in each
specified country;
(C) with respect to each specified country, an
assessment as to whether--
(i) the specified country has appropriately
staffed its national security council or other
identified coordinating body; and
(ii) the extent to which the national
security council, or other identified
coordinating body, of the specified country is
capable of carrying out the activities
described in subsection (e);
(D) an assessment of--
(i) any challenge to cooperation and
coordination with the national security
council, or other identified coordinating body,
of any specified country;
(ii) current efforts by the Secretary of
State to coordinate with the specified
countries on the activities described in
subsection (e); and
(iii) existing governmental entities within
each specified country that are capable of
supporting such activities;
(E) a description of any challenge with respect
to--
(i) the implementation of the national
security council, or other identified
coordinating body, of any specified country;
and
(ii) the implementation of subsections (a)
through (c);
(F) an assessment of any attempt or campaign by a
malign actor to influence the political, security, or
economic policy of a specified country, a member of a
national security council or other identified
coordinating body, or an immediate family member of
such a member; and
(G) any other matter the Secretary of State
considers relevant.
(2) Form.--Each report required by paragraph (1) may be
submitted in unclassified form and may include a classified
annex.
(e) Activities Described.--The activities described in this
subsection are the following homeland security activities:
(1) Coordination of--
(A) the prosecution and investigation of
transnational criminal enterprises;
(B) responses to national emergencies, such as
natural disasters;
(C) counterintelligence and counter-coercion
responses to foreign threats; and
(D) efforts to combat illegal, unreported, or
unregulated fishing.
(2) Coordination with United States Government officials on
humanitarian response, military exercises, law enforcement, and
other issues of security concern.
(3) Identification and development of an existing
governmental entity to support homeland defense and civil
support activities.
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