[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 311 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 311

   Recognizing that for 50 years the Association of South East Asian 
 Nations (ASEAN) has worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace in 
                            Southeast Asia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 3, 2017

    Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself and Mrs. Wagner) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing that for 50 years the Association of South East Asian 
 Nations (ASEAN) has worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace in 
                            Southeast Asia.

Whereas the United States and the Association of South East Asian Nations 
        (ASEAN) and its ten members--Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, 
        Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam--have worked 
        together to advance our shared goals for 40 years, having established 
        dialogue relations on September 10, 1977, with the issuing of the 1977 
        Joint Communique of the First ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue, and the United States 
        acceding to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) 
        at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference Session with the United States 
        in Thailand on July 22, 2009;
Whereas the United States was the first non-ASEAN country to appoint an 
        ambassador to ASEAN on April 29, 2008, and the first dialogue partner to 
        establish a permanent mission to ASEAN in 2010;
Whereas the United States has supported efforts to strengthen the ASEAN 
        Secretariat and expand its role in providing greater coordination among, 
        and enhancing the effectiveness of, regional institutions;
Whereas, working together, the Governments and people of the United States and 
        ASEAN can help realize their common vision of a peaceful, prosperous, 
        rules-based Asia-Pacific region that offers security, opportunity, and 
        dignity to all of its citizens;
Whereas ASEAN's ten members, taken collectively, are the seventh-largest economy 
        in the world, with an annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $2.4 
        trillion, and represent the United States fourth-largest export market 
        with total two-way trade in goods and services reaching $254 billion and 
        accounting for more than 500,000 jobs in the United States;
Whereas ASEAN's ten members represent a diverse group of nations and dynamic 
        economies with an expanding workforce, a growing middle class, and a 
        diverse set of skills, cultures, and resources;
Whereas ASEAN is home to critical global sea lanes located at the center of the 
        world's strongest economic growth area, with $5.3 trillion of global 
        trade and more than half of total shipped tonnage transiting through 
        ASEAN's waters each year;
Whereas ASEAN, taken collectively, is the third-fastest growing economy in Asia 
        after China and India, expanding by 30 percent since 2007 and exceeding 
        the global growth average for the past ten years;
Whereas the ASEAN Economic Community aims to create one of the largest single 
        market economies in the world, facilitating the free movement of goods, 
        services, and professionals and engendering a sense of economic 
        community among its member states;
Whereas the United States is the largest investor in Southeast Asia, with total 
        foreign direct investment stock of nearly $226 billion in 2014, creating 
        millions of jobs in the United States and in ASEAN member states, while 
        investment in the United States from Southeast Asia has increased more 
        than any other region's investment in the past decade;
Whereas the United States has helped ASEAN create a Single Window customs 
        facilitation system that will aid in expediting intra-ASEAN trade and 
        make it easier for United States businesses to operate in the region;
Whereas the U.S.-ASEAN Business Alliance for Competitive SMEs has already 
        trained 4,600 small to medium enterprises, with nearly half of the 
        individuals trained being young women entrepreneurs;
Whereas United States-ASEAN development cooperation has focused on innovation 
        and capacity-building efforts in technology, education, disaster 
        management, food security, human rights, and trade facilitation;
Whereas the Lower Mekong Initiative, established on July 23, 2009, is a 
        multinational effort that helps promote sustainable economic development 
        in mainland Southeast Asia to foster integrated, multisectoral, 
        subregional cooperation and capacity building;
Whereas the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) 
        was signed by all members of ASEAN and the People's Republic of China 
        (PRC) on November 4, 2002, committing ASEAN and the PRC to ``exercise 
        self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or 
        escalate disputes and affect peace and stability,'' and reaffirming 
        ``that the adoption of a code of conduct in the South China Sea would 
        further promote peace and stability in the region and agree to work, on 
        the basis of consensus, toward the eventual attainment of this 
        objective'';
Whereas the leaders of the United States and ASEAN, at their Special Leaders 
        Summit in Sunnylands, California, on February 16, 2016, reaffirmed their 
        shared commitment to maintain peace, security, and stability in the 
        region.
Whereas the United States supports the East Asia Summit (EAS) as the premier 
        leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on political, security, 
        and economic issues in the region and commends the direction set in the 
        Kuala Lampur Declaration at the EAS 10th anniversary, including the new 
        exchange mechanism for EAS members' ambassadors;
Whereas ASEAN is a partner to the United States on key transnational challenges, 
        such as terrorism, violent extremism, environmental degradation, 
        pollution, energy, infectious diseases, disarmament, proliferation of 
        weapons of mass destruction, cybersecurity, trafficking in persons, 
        illicit trafficking of wildlife and timber, and illegal, unregulated, 
        and unreported fishing;
Whereas the United States, ASEAN, and other Dialogue Partners, through the 2015 
        East Asia Summit, adopted a statement on transnational cyber issues that 
        emphasizes the importance of regional cooperation to improve the 
        security and stability of cyber networks, setting an important precedent 
        for strengthening practical cooperation, risk reduction, and confidence 
        building in cyberspace;
Whereas the 2016 East Asia Summit in Vientiane adopted a statement on 
        nonproliferation that reaffirmed the United States, ASEAN, and other 
        Dialogue Partners' leaders' support for efforts at the national, 
        regional, and international level to promote nuclear disarmament, 
        nuclear nonproliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and 
        reiterated the importance of nuclear security to combating nuclear 
        terrorism;
Whereas North Korea's provocative missile launches and nuclear tests highlighted 
        the threat posed by its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and 
        contradicts calls by ASEAN leaders at the 2016 East Asia Summit in 
        Vientiane for North Korea to abide by multiple United Nations Security 
        Council resolutions and international obligations;
Whereas the ASEAN region has experienced natural disasters including Cyclone 
        Nargis in Myanmar and Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines;
Whereas conservation and sustainable management of forests throughout ASEAN play 
        an important role in helping to reduce the risks of extreme weather 
        events and other natural disasters, and provide sustainable economic 
        livelihood opportunities for local communities;
Whereas the United States will pursue initiatives that are consistent with 
        broader sustainable development goals, including the achievement of food 
        security and poverty alleviation throughout the ASEAN region;
Whereas the United States is a committed partner with ASEAN on the protection of 
        human rights, which are not only essential for fostering and maintaining 
        stability, security, and good governance, but protecting the basic 
        rights and fundamental dignities of the people of ASEAN;
Whereas, on November 18, 2012, ASEAN member states came together and adopted an 
        ASEAN Human Rights Declaration that, by its own terms, ``affirms all the 
        civil and political rights'' and the ``economic social and cultural 
        rights'' in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
Whereas the United States supports the work and mandate of the ASEAN 
        Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), including capacity 
        building for the promotion and protection of human rights and the 
        AICHR's priorities programs, and activities;
Whereas the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Program has now engaged over 100,000 
        people between the ages of 18 and 35 across all ten ASEAN nations to 
        promote innovation among young people while also providing skills to a 
        new generation who will create and fill the jobs of the future;
Whereas the irregular movement of persons continues to be one of the main 
        security threats in the Southeast Asia region;
Whereas addressing migration flows and combating human smuggling and human 
        trafficking in ASEAN is an important, ongoing challenge requiring 
        increased coordination and shared responsibility;
Whereas, on November 21, 2015, ASEAN member states signed the ASEAN Convention 
        Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which 
        represents an important step forward in preventing human trafficking, 
        prosecuting the perpetrators, and protecting the survivors;
Whereas the United States supports ASEAN member states in anticorruption efforts 
        through, among other initiatives, the implementation of the United 
        Nations Convention Against Corruption;
Whereas Vice President Pence traveled to Jakarta, Indonesia, on April 20, 2017, 
        where he met with the ASEAN Secretary General and ASEAN Permanent 
        Representatives, congratulated ASEAN on its 50th anniversary, and 
        remarked on the 40th anniversary of the United States diplomatic 
        relationship with ASEAN, noting that the U.S.-ASEAN relationship has 
        ``without a doubt has benefitted both ASEAN and America--diplomatically, 
        economically, and from the standpoint of national security'';
Whereas, on this visit, Vice President Pence pledged that the United States 
        would ``redouble our cooperation with ASEAN on issues of regional 
        security'' and continue to support ``increased information sharing and 
        security efforts to protect our people and our way of life across the 
        ASEAN region and across the wider world,'' and ``continue to work 
        closely with ASEAN to promote peace and stability in the South China Sea 
        by upholding a rules-based order, ensuring the lawful and unimpeded flow 
        of commerce, and encouraging the peaceful and diplomatic resolution of 
        disputes.'';
Whereas, on this visit, Vice President Pence remarked that ``By strengthening 
        our economic ties, the United States and ASEAN member nations can foster 
        jobs, prosperity, and growth in new and unprecedented ways.'' and that 
        ``American exports to ASEAN member nations already support more than 
        550,000 jobs in the United States, and almost 42,000 U.S. companies 
        export more than $100 billion in goods and services to ASEAN nations 
        every year.''; and
Whereas, on this visit, Vice President Pence announced that President Trump will 
        attend the U.S.-ASEAN Summit, the East Asia Summit, and the APEC Leaders 
        Meeting in Vietnam and the Philippines in November 2017: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) welcomes the leaders of the Association of South East 
        Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the United States for the meetings 
        with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and members of Congress 
        and affirms the meeting as the first of regular United States-
        ASEAN meetings;
            (2) supports and affirms the elevation of the United 
        States-ASEAN relationship to a strategic partnership and 
        recommits the United States to ASEAN centrality and to helping 
        to build a strong, stable, politically cohesive, economically 
        integrated, and socially responsible ASEAN community with 
        common rules, norms, procedures, and standards consistent with 
        international law and the principles of a rules-based Asia-
        Pacific community;
            (3) urges ASEAN to continue its efforts to foster greater 
        integration and unity toward the ASEAN community;
            (4) recognizes the value of ASEAN working with economic, 
        political, and security partners, such as Australia, Canada, 
        the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the 
        Republic of Korea, and Taiwan both inside of and outside of 
        Asia, as the advantage of strategic economic initiatives like 
        the U.S.-ASEAN Connect that demonstrate a commitment to ASEAN 
        and the AEC and build upon economic relationships in the 
        region;
            (5) reaffirms the enhancement of United States-ASEAN 
        economic engagement, including the elimination of barriers to 
        cross-border commerce, and supports the ASEAN Economic 
        Community's goals, including strong, inclusive, and sustainable 
        growth and cooperation with the United States that focuses on 
        innovation and capacity building efforts in technology, 
        education, disaster management, food security, human rights, 
        and trade facilitation, including for ASEAN's poorest 
        countries;
            (6) supports efforts by ASEAN member states to address 
        maritime and territorial disputes in a constructive manner and 
        to pursue claims through peaceful, diplomatic, and legitimate 
        regional and international arbitration mechanisms, consistent 
        with international law, including through the adoption of a 
        code of conduct in the South China Sea to further promote peace 
        and stability in the region;
            (7) urges all parties to maritime and territorial disputes 
        in the Asia-Pacific region, including the People's Republic of 
        China, to--
                    (A) exercise self-restraint in the conduct of 
                activities that would undermine stability or complicate 
                or escalate disputes through the use of coercion, 
                intimidation, or military force; and
                    (B) refrain from new efforts to militarize 
                uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, and other features, 
                including but not limited to the construction of new 
                garrisons and facilities, and the relocation of 
                additional military personnel, materiel, or equipment;
            (8) opposes actions by any country to prevent any other 
        country from exercising its sovereign rights to the resources 
        of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf by 
        seeking to enforce claims to those areas in the South China Sea 
        that have no support in international law;
            (9) opposes unilateral declarations of administrative and 
        military districts in contested areas in the South China Sea;
            (10) supports efforts to negotiate the joint management of 
        maritime resources through diplomacy and peaceful negotiation;
            (11) urges parties to refrain from unilateral actions that 
        cause permanent physical damage to the marine environment and 
        supports the efforts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration and ASEAN to implement guidelines to address 
        illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the region;
            (12) supports efforts by United States partners and allies 
        in ASEAN--
                    (A) to enhance maritime capability and maritime 
                domain awareness;
                    (B) to protect unhindered access to and use of 
                international waterways in the Asia-Pacific region that 
                are critical to ensuring the security and free flow of 
                commerce;
                    (C) to counter piracy;
                    (D) to disrupt illicit maritime trafficking 
                activities such as the trafficking of persons, goods, 
                and drugs; and
                    (E) to enhance the maritime capabilities of 
                countries or regional organizations to respond to 
                emerging threats to maritime security in the Asia-
                Pacific region;
            (13) urges ASEAN member states to develop a common approach 
        to reaffirm the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration 
        in The Hague's ruling with respect to the case between the 
        Republic of the Philippines and the People's Republic of China;
            (14) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to 
        continue joint efforts with ASEAN to halt human smuggling and 
        trafficking in persons and urges ASEAN to make increased 
        efforts to create and strengthen regional mechanisms to provide 
        assistance and support to refugees and migrants;
            (15) supports the Lower Mekong Initiative, which has made 
        significant progress in promoting sustainable economic 
        development in mainland Southeast Asia and fostering integrated 
        subregional cooperation and capacity building;
            (16) urges ASEAN to build capacity for the promotion and 
        protection of human rights by ASEAN member states, and the 
        implementation of related priorities, programs, and activities;
            (17) urges ASEAN governments to engage directly with 
        leaders of civil society and human rights, including victims of 
        human rights abuses, and prioritize the construction of forums 
        that give these stakeholders a voice to instruct public policy;
            (18) encourages the President to communicate to ASEAN 
        leaders the importance of protecting human rights, releasing 
        political prisoners and ending politically motivated 
        prosecutions, strengthening civil society, safeguarding the 
        freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, and the free 
        flow of information and ideas, and promoting open and 
        transparent government; and
            (19) supports the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative 
        program as an example of people-to-people partnership building 
        that provides skills, networks, and leadership capabilities to 
        a new generation of people who will create and fill jobs, 
        foster cross-border cooperation and partnerships, and rise to 
        solve the regional and global challenges of the future.
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