[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 837 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 837

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                     November 20, 2024.
Whereas the United States established diplomatic relations with the Philippines 
        on July 4, 1946, and the two countries have since enjoyed expanded and 
        positive relations;
Whereas there are over 4,000,000 United States citizens of Philippine ancestry 
        in the United States;
Whereas the United States and the Philippines have a strong and mutually 
        beneficial trade relationship, with more than $18,900,000,000 in goods 
        and services traded during 2020;
Whereas the People's Republic of China continues to use its Coast Guard and its 
        Merchant Marine to violate the Philippines sovereignty, including in the 
        Scarborough Shoal,
Whereas Chinese Communist Party propaganda now assert claims based on a so-
        called ``ten-dash line'', after a United Nations Convention on the Law 
        of the Sea arbitral tribunal ruled that China's nine-dashed line had 
        ``no legal basis'';
Whereas in 1994, the People's Republic of China unlawfully seized Mischief Reef 
        and have since constructed 20 artificial islands that extends the 
        operational capabilities of the People's Liberation Army with the aim of 
        expanding its presence and reinforcing their illegitimate claims to the 
        South China Sea;
Whereas the People's Republic of China is asserting its sweeping claims over the 
        South China Sea by disrupting the regular resupply of the BRP Sierra 
        Madre, a Philippine Navy transport ship, based in the Second Thomas 
        Shoal, by shooting water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard vessels and 
        using military-grade lasers to blind its crew;
Whereas, on April 3, 2023, the Biden administration announced plans today to 
        expand the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Arrangement to include four new 
        sites to strengthen interoperability and allow the United States and the 
        Philippines to better address shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific 
        region;
Whereas, on August 5, 2023, the United States Department of State reaffirmed 
        that ``an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed 
        forces--including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea--would 
        invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. 
        Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty'';
Whereas, on October 22, 2023, the Chinese Coast Guard rammed a Philippines Coast 
        Guard cutter escorting supplies to the Second Thomas Shoal within the 
        Philippines exclusive economic zone;
Whereas, on April 11, 2024, the leaders of Japan, the Philippines, and the 
        United States held a trilateral summit in Washington, D.C., to expand 
        trilateral cooperation and bolster a free and open Indo-Pacific and an 
        international order based on international law; and
Whereas, on June 17, 2024, PRC vessels tried to deny the Philippines from 
        lawfully delivering humanitarian supplies to service members stationed 
        at the BRP Sierra Madre through the dangerous use of water cannons, 
        ramming, blocking maneuvers, and towing which damaged Philippine vessels 
        and injured Philippine service members: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) reaffirms the United States unwavering commitment to invoke its 
        Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines if an armed attack against 
        the Philippines assets, including those of the Philippine Coast Guard, 
        is committed in the South China Sea;
            (2) calls on the United States and Philippines to conduct more joint 
        patrols in the South China Sea, including with other like-minded 
        partners, to underscore the importance of freedom of navigation and 
        overflight;
            (3) firmly objects to the People's Republic of China's false 
        sovereignty claims to the South China Sea;
            (4) strongly condemns and calls on the People's Republic of China to 
        cease its aggressive and dangerous actions against Philippine vessels in 
        the South China Sea;
            (5) welcomes swift implementation of the Enhanced Defense 
        Cooperation Agreement to ensure we adhere to our commitments to the 
        Philippine people, and to foster a free and open Indo-Pacific for all;
            (6) emphasizes that respecting the shared values of democratic 
        institutions, human rights, and the rule of law, especially with regard 
        to the rights of trade unionists, journalists, human rights defenders, 
        critics of the Government, faith and religious leaders, and civil 
        society activists, will strengthen the alliance between the United 
        States and the Philippines; and
            (7) reaffirms the United States unwavering commitment to invoke its 
        Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines, in accordance with 
        constitutional processes, if an armed attack against the Philippines 
        assets, including those of the Philippine Coast Guard, is committed in 
        the South China Sea.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.