[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2697 Referred in House (RFH)]


109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2697


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 8, 2006

          Referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To establish the position of the United States Ambassador for ASEAN 
                                Affairs.

    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 ``United States Ambassador for ASEAN 
Affairs Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (referred to 
        in this Act as ``ASEAN'') was established in 1967, with an 
        initial membership of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, 
        Singapore, and Thailand.
            (2) ASEAN is committed to accelerating economic growth, 
        social progress, cultural development and regional peace and 
        stability.
            (3) The membership of ASEAN has expanded to 10 countries 
        since its establishment in 1967.
            (4) The United States seeks to maintain and further develop 
        a constructive and cordial relationship with ASEAN.
            (5) The countries comprising ASEAN--
                    (A) constitute the 3rd largest export market for 
                United States products;
                    (B) have received nearly $90,000,000,000 in direct 
                investment from United States sources; and
                    (C) are developing an integrated free trade area.
            (6) Trade between the United States and the countries 
        comprising ASEAN totals approximately $130,000,000,000.
            (7) ASEAN continues to contribute to regional stability in 
        East Asia and has partnered with the United States to combat 
        global terror.
            (8) In 2006, approximately 38,000 students from the 
        countries comprising ASEAN were studying in the United States.
            (9) The countries comprising ASEAN share a common concern 
        with the United States regarding--
                    (A) the spread of avian influenza and other 
                diseases; and
                    (B) environmental issues, such as the preservation 
                of biodiversity and the prevention of illegal logging.
            (10) It is in the long-term interest of the United States 
        to maintain and expand a relationship with ASEAN.
            (11) The United States does not have an Ambassador to 
        ASEAN, which limits the ability of the United States and ASEAN 
        to respond quickly and appropriately to events of mutual 
        interest.

SEC. 3. UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR FOR ASEAN.

    (a) Appointment.--There is established in the Department of State 
the position of United States Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs, who shall 
be appointed by the President, subject to the advice and consent of the 
Senate.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that a Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific should be 
designated as the Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs.

            Passed the Senate September 7 (legislative day, September 
      6), 2006.

            Attest:

                                             EMILY J. REYNOLDS,

                                                             Secretary.