118th CONGRESS 2d Session |
To bolster United States engagement with the Pacific Islands region, and for other purposes.
April 17, 2024
Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself and Ms. Ernst) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
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,
This Act may be cited as the “Pacific Partnership Act”.
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) the United States has longstanding and enduring cultural, historic, economic, strategic, and people-to-people connections with the Pacific Islands region, based on shared values, cultural histories, common interests, and a commitment to fostering mutual understanding and cooperation;
(2) successive Presidential administrations have recognized the critical importance of the Pacific Islands region to the world in high-level strategic documents, including—
(A) the 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 region;
(B) the 2017 National Security Strategy, which included a commitment to “shore up fragile partner states in the Pacific Islands region to reduce their vulnerability to economic fluctuations and natural disasters”;
(C) the 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, which identified the Pacific Islands region as “critical to the U.S. strategy because of our shared values, interests, and commitments”;
(D) the 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy, which recognized the need to engage further with the Pacific Islands region on shared security goals; and
(E) the 2022 Pacific Partnership Strategy, which outlined goals and methods for deepening 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 region that—
(A) promotes peace, security, and prosperity for all nations in a manner 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, such as the Pacific Islands Forum and the Pacific Community, and frameworks including—
(A) the 2000 Biketawa Declaration;
(B) the 2014 Framework for Pacific Regionalism;
(C) the 2018 Boe Declaration on Regional Security;
(D) the Boe Declaration Action Plan; and
(E) the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent; and
(5) the United States should work closely with allies and partners of the United States that have existing relationships and interests in the Pacific Islands region, such as Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Taiwan, and regional institutions such as the Pacific Islands Forum.
SEC. 3. Strategy for Pacific Partnership.
(a) In general.—Not later than January 1, 2026, and every 4 years thereafter, 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 with respect to the diplomatic posts, defense posture, and economic engagement of the United States.
(2) An assessment of threats to and pressures on the Pacific Islands region, including such threats and pressures caused by factors such as—
(A) natural disasters;
(B) illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing;
(C) the presence and activity of non-United States militaries;
(D) developmental challenges;
(E) economic coercion and corruption; and
(F) other factors causing a direct risk to the national interests of the United States in the Pacific Islands region, as determined by the President.
(3) A plan to address the threats assessed pursuant to paragraph (2).
(4) An analysis of the needs and goals expressed by governments of nations in the Pacific Islands region, including at or through multilateral institutions, evaluated in light of the national interests of the United States.
(5) A plan for the resources necessary for the United States to meet its goals in the Pacific Islands region.
(6) An identification of mechanisms, including existing forums, for coordinating and cooperating on shared goals among the following, as appropriate:
(A) The governments of nations in the Pacific Islands region.
(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 region.
(D) Subnational governments of the United States in the Pacific.
(c) Consultation.—In developing the Strategy, the President shall consult, as the President considers appropriate, with—
(1) such governmental agencies of the United States as the President considers relevant;
(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 nations in the Pacific Islands region;
(4) stakeholders from civil society;
(5) allies and partners of the United States; and
(6) States and territories of the United States in the Pacific.
(d) Report on implementation.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Strategy is submitted, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation of the Strategy.
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A) A proposed timeline for the implementation of the Strategy.
(B) The number of full-time equivalent positions and contractors needed to achieve the goals included in the Strategy.
(C) A description of any institutional or structural reorganizations the President recommends to help carry out the Strategy.
(D) An identification of any additional funding needed to carry out the Strategy.
(3) CONSOLIDATION.—The report required by paragraph (1) may be consolidated with any other report required to be submitted by the President on the date described in such paragraph or a similar date.
SEC. 4. Extension of diplomatic privileges, exemptions, and 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. Consultation and coordination with allies and partners in the Pacific Islands region.
(a) In general.—The President, in consultation with the Secretary of State and such other heads of Federal departments and agencies as the President considers relevant, shall consult and coordinate with allies and partners of the United States 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 the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, with respect to programs to provide assistance to the Pacific Islands region, including for purposes of—
(1) deconflicting programming;
(2) ensuring that any programming does not adversely affect the absorptive capacity of the Pacific Islands region;
(3) ensuring complementary programs benefit the Pacific Islands region to the maximum extent practicable; and
(4) ensuring that programming aligns with regional development goals, as outlined by documents such as the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, in order to support sustainable development and promote a shared vision for the future of the Pacific Islands region.
(b) Formal consultative process.—The President shall establish a formal consultative process with the allies and partners described in subsection (a) for coordination with respect to the programs described in such subsection.
SEC. 6. Reports on transnational crime affecting the Pacific Islands region.
(a) Updates of certain reports.—The Secretary of State, in coordination with such other heads of Federal departments and agencies as the Secretary considers appropriate, shall annually update the reports listed in subsection (b) to include a discussion of transnational crime affecting the Pacific Islands region.
(b) Reports listed.—The reports listed in this subsection are the following:
(1) The international narcotics control strategy report required by section 489(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291h(a)).
(2) The report on international compliance with fisheries requirements required by section 607 of the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1826h).
(3) The report on trafficking in persons required by section 110(b)(1) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107(b)(1)).
In this Act:
(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—The term “appropriate congressional committees” means—
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
(2) PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION.—The term “Pacific Islands region” means the nations, territories, and other jurisdictions in the Pacific Ocean within Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.