[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 515 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 515

   Welcoming Prime Minister Lee Hsien-Loong to the United States and 
 reaffirming Singapore's strategic partnership with the United States, 
   encompassing broad and robust economic, military-to-military, law 
             enforcement, and counterterrorism cooperation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 29, 2016

   Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Gardner) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Welcoming Prime Minister Lee Hsien-Loong to the United States and 
 reaffirming Singapore's strategic partnership with the United States, 
   encompassing broad and robust economic, military-to-military, law 
             enforcement, and counterterrorism cooperation.

Whereas in August 2016, as we commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations 
        between the United States and the Republic of Singapore, Prime Minister 
        Lee Hsien-Loong of Singapore will make an official visit to the United 
        States, including a State dinner on August 2nd;
Whereas the Republic of Singapore became independent on August 9, 1965, and the 
        United States recognized Singapore's statehood in the same year;
Whereas Singapore and the United States established formal diplomatic relations 
        in 1966;
Whereas under the leadership of its first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore 
        became an early and continued supporter of the United States engagement 
        in Asia to safeguard the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region;
Whereas in 2004 the United States and Singapore implemented the U.S.-Singapore 
        Free Trade Agreement, the first bilateral trade agreement between the 
        United States and an Asian country;
Whereas Singapore and the United States are major trading partners, with 
        $64,000,000,000 in bilateral goods and services trade in 2014, and a 
        United States trade surplus in both goods and services;
Whereas Singapore provided the United States access to its military facilities 
        through a 1990 Memorandum of Understanding, supporting the continued 
        security presence of the United States in Southeast Asia;
Whereas the United States and Singapore concluded a Strategic Framework 
        Agreement in 2005, which recognizes Singapore as a ``Major Security 
        Cooperation Partner of the United States'';
Whereas the United States and Singapore signed an enhanced Defense Cooperation 
        Agreement in 2015, expanding dialogue and cooperation in areas such as 
        humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, cyber defense, biosecurity, 
        and public communications;
Whereas Singapore facilitates the rotational deployment of United States Navy 
        Littoral Combat Ships at its Changi Naval Base;
Whereas the United States currently hosts 4 Republic of Singapore Air Force 
        training detachments, comprising the Republic of Singapore Air Force's 
        F-15SG and F-16 fighter jets, and Apache and Chinook helicopters, at 
        bases in Arizona, Idaho, and Texas;
Whereas the U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training Program, established in 2012 
        and renewed in 2015, provides regional technical and capacity-building 
        assistance in a wide variety of areas to assist recipient countries in 
        reaching their development goals;
Whereas Singapore was a founding member of the Association of South East Asian 
        Nations (ASEAN) in 1967 and remains a key partner of the United States 
        in ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional 
        Forum and the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus;
Whereas Singapore will be home to a U.S.-ASEAN Connect Center, an initiative 
        announced at the U.S.-ASEAN summit in February 2016 to facilitate U.S.-
        ASEAN engagement and cooperation on energy, innovation, and 
        entrepreneurship;
Whereas Singapore has played a critical role in enhancing shared maritime domain 
        awareness in Southeast Asia through the establishment of the Republic of 
        Singapore Navy's Information Fusion Center, to facilitate information-
        sharing and collaboration with partners, including the United States, 
        against maritime security threats, and through the deployment of United 
        States aircraft at Paya Lebar Air Base;
Whereas Singapore has been a cybersecurity leader in Southeast Asia, through the 
        unified Cyber Security Agency, as the convener of the annual ASEAN CERT 
        Incident Drill, and as host of the INTERPOL Global Complex for 
        Innovation;
Whereas Singapore was the first Southeast Asian country to join the Global 
        Coalition to Counter ISIL in November 2014, and has contributed an air 
        refueling tanker, imagery analysis teams, and planning and liaison 
        officers; and
Whereas Singapore has supported counterterrorism efforts, through the sharing of 
        domestic practices, participating in the White House Summit on 
        Countering Violent Extremism in February 2015, and hosting the East Asia 
        Summit Symposium on Religious Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration in 
        April 2015: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) welcomes Prime Minister Lee Hsien-Loong of Singapore 
        for his official visit to the United States and State Dinner on 
        August 2nd, as the United States and Singapore commemorate the 
        50th anniversary of the Singapore-United States bilateral 
        diplomatic relationship that has served as an anchor for the 
        United States in Asia;
            (2) affirms the importance of the United States-Singapore 
        strategic partnership in securing regional peace and stability, 
        including through rotational basing and logistical support 
        arrangements that enhance the United States presence in 
        Southeast Asia;
            (3) applauds the Republic of Singapore's leadership in 
        counterterrorism, including the deployment of military assets 
        as part of the anti-ISIL coalition and innovative 
        counterterrorism efforts within the Asia-Pacific region;
            (4) anticipates the deepening of the security relationship 
        following the signing of an enhanced Defense Cooperation 
        Agreement in Washington on December 7, 2015, and welcomes 
        further cooperation in areas such as cybersecurity, 
        humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and defense 
        technology;
            (5) recognizes the vitality of the bilateral trade and 
        investment relationship between the United States and 
        Singapore;
            (6) supports continued close cooperation between the United 
        States and Singapore, through bilateral initiatives such as the 
        U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training Program, and multilateral 
        initiatives such as U.S.-ASEAN Connect announced at the recent 
        U.S.-ASEAN Summit in Sunnylands, to build capacity for 
        commercial engagement, energy development, innovation, trade 
        facilitation, and to achieve development goals in the Asia-
        Pacific region; and
            (7) urges the President to continue United States support 
        of multilateral institutions and fora such as the Asia-Pacific 
        Economic Cooperation, East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, 
        and the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus, working in close 
        cooperation with partners, such as the Republic of Singapore, 
        who share a commitment to an inclusive, rules-based regional 
        architecture.
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