[Pages S5222-S5223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3426. Ms. ERNST (for herself and Ms. Cortez Masto) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 2296, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title XII, add the following:

                  Subtitle F--Pacific Partnership Act

     SEC. 1271. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Pacific Partnership 
     Act''.

     SEC. 1272. 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 internationally recognized human rights and the 
     preservation of the region's cultural heritages.
       (4) The United States should collaborate closely with 
     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

[[Page S5223]]

     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. 1273. 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) A plan for the resources necessary for the United 
     States to meet its goals in the Pacific Islands region.
       (5) 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. 1274. 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. 1275. 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. 1276. REPORTING.

       (a) Updates of Certain Reports.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of State, in coordination 
     with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies as 
     appropriate, shall annually update the reports listed in 
     paragraph (2) to include within the scope of such reports a 
     regional discussion of transnational crime affecting the 
     Pacific Islands.
       (2) Reports listed.--The reports listed in this paragraph 
     are the following:
       (A) The International Narcotics Control Strategy report 
     required by section 489 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
     (22 U.S.C. 2291h).
       (B) The Improving International Fisheries Management report 
     required by section 607 of title VI of the Fisheries Act of 
     1995 (16 U.S.C. 1826h).
       (C) The Trafficking in Persons report submitted under 
     section 110 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 
     (22 U.S.C. 7107).
       (b) Modification to Report on Indo-Pacific Region.--Section 
     5595(c) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; 136 Stat. 3393) 
     is amended--
       (1) by striking paragraph (1) and redesignating paragraph 
     (2) as paragraph (1);
       (2) in paragraph (1), as so redesignated, by striking ``the 
     2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy, or successor documents,'' and 
     inserting ``any relevant guidance documents''; and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (1), as so redesignated, 
     the following:
       ``(2) Implementing any relevant guidance documents that set 
     forth the United States Government strategy toward the 
     Pacific Islands region.''.

     SEC. 1277. DEFINITIONS.

       In this subtitle:
       (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.
                                 ______