[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7159 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7159
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 10, 2024
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To bolster United States engagement with the Pacific Islands region,
and for other purposes.
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 ``Pacific Partnership Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress as follows:
(1) The United States has longstanding and enduring
cultural, historic, economic, strategic, and people-to-people
connections with the Pacific Islands, based on shared values,
cultural histories, common interests, and a commitment to
fostering mutual understanding and cooperation.
(2) Successive United States administrations have
recognized the critical importance of the Pacific Islands, to
the world in high-level strategic documents, including the--
(A) 2015 National Security Strategy, which first
declared the rebalance to Asia and the Pacific,
affirmed the United States as a Pacific nation, and
paved the way for subsequent United States engagement
with the Pacific Islands;
(B) 2017 National Security Strategy, which includes
a commitment to ``shore up fragile partner states in
the Pacific Islands region to reduce their
vulnerability to economic fluctuations and natural
disasters'';
(C) 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, which
identified the Pacific Islands as ``critical to United
States strategy because of our shared values,
interests, and commitments'';
(D) 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, which
recognized the need to engage further with the Pacific
Islands on shared security goals; and
(E) 2022 Strategy for Pacific Partnership, which
outlined goals and methods for deepening the United
States partnerships with Pacific Island nations.
(3) The United States Government should further develop,
expand, and support a comprehensive and multifaceted United
States policy for the Pacific Islands that--
(A) promotes peace, security, and prosperity for
all countries that respects the sovereignty and
political independence of all nations;
(B) preserves the Pacific Ocean as a corridor for
international maritime economic opportunities and
growth and promotes sustainable development;
(C) supports regional efforts to address shared
challenges, including by strengthening resilience to
natural disasters and stewardship of natural resources;
and
(D) strengthens democratic governance and the rule
of law, and promotes human rights and the preservation
of the region's cultural heritages.
(4) The United States should support the vision, values,
and objectives of existing regional multilateral institutions
and frameworks, such as the Pacific Islands Forum and the
Pacific Community.
(5) The United States should work closely with United
States allies and partners with existing relationships and
interests in the Pacific Islands, such as Australia, Japan,
South Korea, New Zealand, and Taiwan, and regional institutions
like the Pacific Islands Forum.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY FOR PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP.
(a) In General.--Not later than January 1, 2026, and again not
later than January 1, 2030, the President, in coordination with the
Secretary of State, shall develop and submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a strategy entitled the ``Strategy for Pacific
Partnership'' (in this section referred to as the ``Strategy'').
(b) Matters To Be Included.--The Strategy shall include each of the
following:
(1) A description of overarching goals for United States
engagement in the Pacific Islands region, including United
States diplomatic posts, defense posture, and economic
engagement.
(2) An assessment of threats and pressures to the Pacific
Islands region including those caused by factors such as--
(A) natural disasters;
(B) illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing;
(C) non-United States military presence and
activity;
(D) developmental challenges;
(E) economic coercion and corruption; and
(F) other factors assessed to be causing a direct
risk to the United States national interests in the
Pacific Islands.
(3) A plan to address the threats assessed pursuant to
paragraph (2).
(4) An analysis of the needs and goals expressed by
governments of the Pacific Islands region, including at or
through multilateral institutions, evaluated in light of the
United States national interests.
(5) A plan for the resources necessary for the United
States to meet its goals in the Pacific Islands region.
(6) Mechanisms, including existing forums, for coordinating
and cooperating on shared goals among the following, as
appropriate:
(A) the governments of Pacific Island countries;
(B) regional partners in the Pacific Islands
region, including multilateral forums and
organizations, such as the Pacific Islands Forum;
(C) civil society in the Pacific Islands; and
(D) United States subnational governments in the
Pacific.
(c) Consultation.--In developing the Strategy, the President should
consult, as appropriate, with--
(1) relevant United States governmental agencies;
(2) regional organizations, such as the Pacific Islands
Forum, the Pacific Islands Development Program, the Pacific
Community, the Forum Fisheries Agency, and the Secretariat of
the Pacific Regional Environment Programme;
(3) the governments of the countries in the Pacific
Islands;
(4) civil society stakeholders;
(5) United States allies and partners; and
(6) United States Pacific territories and States.
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITIES TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
FORUM.
The provisions of the International Organizations Immunities Act
(22 U.S.C. 288 et seq.) may be extended to the Pacific Islands Forum in
the same manner, to the same extent, and subject to the same conditions
as such provisions may be extended to a public international
organization in which the United States participates pursuant to any
treaty or under the authority of any Act of Congress authorizing such
participation or making an appropriation for such participation.
SEC. 5. REPORTS ON IMPLEMENTATION.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
submission of a strategy detailed in section 3(a), the President shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees an implementation
report--
(1) with a proposed timeline for implementation of the
strategy described in section 3(a) of this Act;
(2) detailing the assessed number of full-time equivalent
positions and contractors needed to achieve the goals laid out
in the strategy described in section 3(a) of this Act;
(3) describing any institutional or structural re-
organizations suggested to help carry out the strategy
described in section 3(a) of this Act; and
(4) if necessary, identifying additional funding needed to
support resource levels to carry out the strategy described in
3(a).
(b) Consolidation.--A report required by this subsection may be
consolidated with any other report required to be submitted by the same
Federal official on the same or similar date as the requirement under
this subsection.
SEC. 6. ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION.
(a) In General.--The President, in consultation with the Secretary
of State, and the relevant heads of other Federal departments and
agencies, should consult and coordinate with allies and partners in the
Pacific Islands region, including Australia, Japan, New Zealand,
Taiwan, and regional institutions, such as the Pacific Islands Forum,
the Pacific Islands Development Program, the Pacific Community and
Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, with
respect to programs to provide assistance to the Pacific Islands,
including for purposes of--
(1) deconflicting programming;
(2) ensuring that any programming does not adversely affect
the absorptive capacity of the Pacific Islands;
(3) ensuring complementary programs benefit the Pacific
Islands to the maximum extent practicable; and
(4) ensuring that programming aligns with regional
development goals to promote a shared vision for the future of
the Pacific Islands.
(b) Formal Consultative Process.--The President should establish a
formal consultative process with such regional allies and partners to
coordinate with respect to such programs and future-years programming.
SEC. 7. REPORTING.
(a) Updates of Certain Reports.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies
as appropriate, shall annually update the reports listed in subsection
(b) to include within the scope of such reports a regional discussion
of transnational crime affecting the Pacific Islands.
(b) Reports Listed.--The reports listed in this subsection are the
following:
(1) The International Narcotics Control Strategy report
required by section 489 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2291h).
(2) The Improving International Fisheries Management report
required by section 607 of title VI of the Fisheries Act of
1995 (16 U.S.C. 1826h).
(3) The Trafficking in Persons report submitted under
section 110 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000
(22 U.S.C. 7107).
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate.
(2) Pacific islands; pacific islands region.--The term
``Pacific Islands'' and ``Pacific Islands region'' mean the
nations, territories, and other jurisdictions in the Pacific
Ocean within the broad groupings of Melanesia, Micronesia, and
Polynesia.
Passed the House of Representatives September 9, 2024.
Attest:
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,
Clerk.