[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4939 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
114th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4939
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean region,
the Caribbean diaspora community in the United States, and the private
sector and civil society in both the United States and the Caribbean,
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 ``United States-Caribbean Strategic
Engagement Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States to
increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean region, the
Caribbean diaspora community in the United States, and the private
sector and civil society in both the United States and the Caribbean in
a concerted effort to--
(1) enhance diplomatic relations between the United States
and the Caribbean region;
(2) increase economic cooperation between the United States
and the Caribbean region;
(3) support regional economic, political, and security
integration efforts in the Caribbean region;
(4) encourage sustainable economic development and
increased regional economic diversification and global
competitiveness;
(5) reduce levels of crime and violence, curb the
trafficking of illicit drugs, strengthen the rule of law, and
improve citizen security;
(6) improve energy security by increasing access to
diverse, reliable, affordable, and sustainable power;
(7) advance cooperation on democracy and human rights in
the Caribbean region and at multilateral fora; and
(8) continue support for public health advances and
cooperation on health concerns and threats to the Caribbean
region.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a multi-year
strategy for United States engagement with the Caribbean region that--
(1) identifies Department of State and USAID efforts, in
coordination with other executive branch agencies, to
prioritize United States policy towards the Caribbean region;
(2) outlines an approach to broaden Department of State and
USAID outreach to the Caribbean diaspora community in the
United States to promote their involvement and participation in
the economic development and citizen security of the Caribbean
region;
(3) outlines an approach to partner with the governments of
the Caribbean region to improve citizen security, reduce the
trafficking of illicit drugs, strengthen the rule of law, and
improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the Caribbean
Basin Security Initiative;
(4) establishes a comprehensive, integrated, multi-year
strategy to encourage the efforts of the Caribbean region to
implement regional and national strategies that improve energy
security by increasing access to diverse, reliable, affordable,
and sustainable power, including significant renewable energy
resources within the Caribbean region such as biomass,
geothermal, hydropower, solar, tidal, waste-to-energy, and
wind, and by taking advantage of the ongoing energy revolution
in the Unites States;
(5) outlines an approach to improve diplomatic engagement
with the governments of the Caribbean region, including with
respect to key votes on human rights and democracy at the
United Nations and the Organization of American States;
(6) develops an approach to assisting Caribbean countries
in the diversification of their economies, the reduction of
legal, technical, and administrative barriers that prevent the
free flow of foreign direct investment and trade to and from
each country and within the Caribbean region, and support for
the training and employment of youth and citizens in
marginalized communities; and
(7) reflects the input of other executive branch agencies,
as appropriate.
SEC. 4. BRIEFINGS.
The Secretary of State shall provide annual briefings to the
appropriate congressional committees that review Department of State
efforts to implement the strategy for United States engagement with the
Caribbean region in accordance with section 3.
SEC. 5. PROGRESS REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act
and biennially thereafter for the following 4 years, the President
shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on
progress made toward to implementing the strategy for United States
engagement with the Caribbean region in accordance with section 3.
SEC. 6. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT ON CARIBBEAN BASIN
SECURITY INITIATIVE.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report that contains the
following:
(1) An evaluation of the Caribbean Basin Security
Initiative (CBSI) and the extent to which the CBSI has met
Department of State and USAID benchmarks.
(2) An accounting of CBSI funding appropriated, obligated,
and expended from fiscal year 2010 through fiscal year 2016.
(3) A breakdown of yearly CBSI assistance provided to each
CBSI country.
(4) A description of how CBSI is coordinated with other
security assistance programs in the Western Hemisphere,
particularly the Merida Initiative and the Central America
Regional Security Initiative, and the role of the Department of
State's Senior Coordinator for the Citizen Security Initiatives
in the Western Hemisphere in such coordination.
(5) A description of all United States security assistance
provided to the Caribbean region, exclusive of assistance
through CBSI.
(6) Recommendations for legislative and executive action to
make CBSI more effective and efficient, as appropriate.
SEC. 7. GAO REPORT ON DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report that contains the
following:
(1) An evaluation of United States diplomatic outreach from
the United States embassy in Barbados to the countries of
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia
and St. Vincent, and the Grenadines.
(2) A list of visits over the previous 5 years of personnel
at the United States embassy in Barbados to the countries of
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia
and St. Vincent, and the Grenadines.
(3) A description of how personnel at the United States
embassy in Barbados have engaged with government officials and
civil society organizations in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica,
St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and the
Grenadines over the previous 5 years.
(4) A description of how personnel at the United States
embassy in Grenada have engaged with government officials and
civil society organizations over the previous 5 years.
SEC. 8. REPORTING COST OFFSET.
Paragraph (4) of section 601(c) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980
(22 U.S.C. 4001(c)) is amended in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``the following:'' and all that follows through ``A
workforce plan'' and inserting ``a workforce plan'' and adjusting the
margins accordingly.
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(2) Caribbean region.--The term ``Caribbean region'' means
the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative beneficiary countries.
(3) Security assistance.--The term ``security assistance''
has the meaning given such term in section 502B(b) of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(d)).
Passed the House of Representatives June 13, 2016.
Attest:
Clerk.
114th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4939
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean region,
the Caribbean diaspora community in the United States, and the private
sector and civil society in both the United States and the Caribbean,
and for other purposes.