[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2176 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2176

To authorize the establishment of an Asia-Pacific Defense Commission to 
enhance defense cooperation between the United States and allies in the 
              Asia-Pacific region, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 26, 2017

  Mrs. Murphy of Florida (for herself, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Gallego, Ms. 
    Hanabusa, Ms. Bordallo, and Mr. Castro of Texas) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the establishment of an Asia-Pacific Defense Commission to 
enhance defense cooperation between the United States and allies in the 
              Asia-Pacific region, 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 ``Asia-Pacific Defense Commission 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States has worked cooperatively with its 
        allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region for decades on 
        issues of mutual concern having regional and global strategic 
        and economic importance, including--
                    (A) deterring and confronting external aggression 
                against allies and partners;
                    (B) ensuring the free flow of energy and commerce, 
                and freedom of navigation in international waters;
                    (C) dismantling terrorist networks that threaten 
                the safety of the region;
                    (D) preventing the development, use, and 
                proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
                    (E) adapting to climate change and severe weather 
                events, including cooperation on humanitarian 
                assistance and disaster response; and
                    (F) promoting respect for the international liberal 
                order based on commonly respected norms and values.
            (2) The close security relationships between the United 
        States and its five treaty allies in the Asia-Pacific region--
        Australia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand--as 
        well as the security relationships between the United States 
        and its non-alliance security partners in the region remain 
        vital to the United States national interest and a cornerstone 
        of regional stability.
            (3) The United States opposes North Korea's illegal and 
        reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons.
            (4) Countering North Korea's destabilizing activities in 
        the region by diplomatic, economic, and defensive means is a 
        top national security issue for the United States as the threat 
        posed by North Korea endangers United States allies, threatens 
        to destabilize the Asia-Pacific region, and if unchecked, poses 
        a grave nuclear proliferation challenge to the world.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF ASIA-PACIFIC DEFENSE COMMISSION.

    (a) Statement of Policy.--
            (1) In general.--It is the policy of the United States to 
        continue to maintain a strong military posture in the Asia-
        Pacific region in order to reassure United States allies, deter 
        aggression, and respond swiftly to crises.
            (2) Enhanced military training and exercises.--The 
        Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of 
        State, shall seek opportunities to enhance military training 
        and exercises with United States allies in the Asia-Pacific 
        region to deepen cooperation between the militaries of the 
        United States and such allies, to expand operational 
        capabilities, and to encourage respect for human rights and the 
        rule of law.
    (b) Joint Defense Commission.--The President may establish a 
regional joint defense commission to be known as the Asia-Pacific 
Defense Commission. The purpose of the commission shall be to 
strengthen cooperation between the United States and its allies in the 
Asia-Pacific region to combat joint threats. The commission may 
undertake the following activities:
            (1) Strengthening counterterrorism operations and building 
        capacity to track, investigate, and prosecute individuals 
        engaged in terrorist activities.
            (2) Improving regional maritime security and capabilities 
        to interdict illegal arms shipments.
            (3) Bolstering regional cybersecurity initiatives and 
        protecting critical infrastructure.
            (4) Strengthening military preparedness.
            (5) Facilitating defense-related transfers, subject to the 
        requirements of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et 
        seq.).
            (6) Facilitating efforts to enhance training, preparedness, 
        and operations by allies to address North Korean maritime 
        weapons transfers.
            (7) Coordinating intelligence collected by the intelligence 
        services of the countries participating in the commission, 
        identify the most immediate threats to inform the security 
        services of such countries, and create guidelines for the 
        coordination of multilateral direct action against shared 
        threats.
    (c) Asia-Pacific Region.--In this section, the term ``Asia-Pacific 
region'' means the region corresponding to the area of responsibility 
of the United States Pacific Command, as defined by the Department of 
Defense unified command plan.
    (d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United 
States Navy should regularize freedom of navigation operations, in 
accordance with international law, in the Japanese-administered Senkaku 
Islands, in the South China Sea, and in regular ports of call at 
strategic ports in the Asia-Pacific region.
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