[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8378 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8378

To strengthen the role of the United States with respect to the Indian 
                 Ocean region, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2024

Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself and Mr. Issa) introduced the following 
      bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To strengthen the role of the United States with respect to the Indian 
                 Ocean 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 ``Indian Ocean Region Strategic Review 
Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States has vitally important political, 
        economic, and security interests in the Indian Ocean region, 
        and the United States is uniquely positioned to capitalize on 
        opportunities that advance such interests.
            (2) The United States needs to engage and cooperate with 
        partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including India, Japan, 
        Australia, and island countries located within such region, to 
        bolster regional governance, to increase sustainable economic 
        connectivity and development, and to strengthen cooperation on 
        security challenges such as threats to freedom of navigation 
        and environmental disasters.
            (3) The United States must work to better understand the 
        environmental, economic, security, and political issues faced 
        by the Governments of Indian Ocean region countries.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States with respect to the Indian 
Ocean region, as part of the broader Indo-Pacific engagement strategy 
of the United States, to strengthen engagement with Indian Ocean region 
countries (including with the governments, civil society, academia, and 
private sectors of such countries) and to enhance meaningful 
diplomatic, security, and economic relations with allies and partners 
of the United States in the Indian Ocean region, by the following:
            (1) Promoting cohesive political ties between the United 
        States and Indian Ocean region countries through active 
        participation in regional organizations and strengthening 
        bilateral diplomatic relations with such allies and partners.
            (2) Continuing to build the bilateral security relationship 
        between the United States and India, for the purpose of 
        regularizing security cooperation by building upon foundational 
        agreements concerning intelligence sharing, military 
        communication, and naval cooperation.
            (3) Engaging with India to better understand and 
        operationalize economic and political opportunities across the 
        Indian Ocean region.
            (4) Enhancing economic connectivity and commercial exchange 
        between the United States and Indian Ocean region countries.
            (5) Ensuring the freedom of navigation by protecting trade 
        routes and shipping lanes within the Indian Ocean region for 
        all countries to enjoy unimpeded access in a manner consistent 
        with international law.
            (6) Cooperating with the governments of Indian Ocean region 
        countries on security challenges, including issues relating to 
        piracy and illegal fishing.
            (7) Supporting the ability of such governments, and of 
        nongovernmental organizations within the Indian Ocean region, 
        to respond to environmental disasters and work to mitigate 
        potential future disasters with resilient infrastructure.
            (8) Facilitating cooperation between the United States and 
        allies and partners of the United States in the Indian Ocean 
        region to build capacity in maritime security and maritime 
        domain awareness.
            (9) Promoting cooperation with United States allies in the 
        Indo-Pacific region (including Japan and Australia), major 
        defense partners (including India), and NATO allies (including 
        the United Kingdom and France), to support a rules-based order 
        in such region.
            (10) Understanding resources and costs required for the 
        United States to effectively engage diplomatically and 
        economically in the Indian Ocean region.

SEC. 4. STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN RELATING TO INDIAN OCEAN 
              REGION.

    (a) Strategy.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the 
Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the United States Agency 
for International Development, shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a multi-year strategy and implementation plan 
for United States engagements and posture to support the interests of 
the United States with respect to the Indian Ocean region.
    (b) Matters.--The strategy under subsection (a) shall include the 
following:
            (1) An identification of the political, economic, and 
        security goals and opportunities of the United States in the 
        Indian Ocean region.
            (2) An explanation of the political, economic, and security 
        goals of Indian Ocean region countries and a detailed 
        description of areas with respect to which such interests align 
        with the goals of the United States.
            (3) A list that details the economic and political efforts 
        of the People's Republic of China with respect to the Indian 
        Ocean region, particularly with respect to the engagement by 
        the People's Republic of China with each country located within 
        the Indian Ocean region.
            (4) A description and analysis of challenges, including 
        countries and specific projects, to the engagement with Indian 
        Ocean region countries as a result of--
                    (A) disparate policy goals across the departments 
                and agencies of the United States Government; and
                    (B) disparate definitions of the term ``Indian 
                Ocean region'' across the Department of State, 
                Department of Defense, and United States Agency for 
                International Development.
            (5) A list that details efforts to improve cooperation 
        between the United States and Australia, India, and Japan 
        (commonly referred to as the ``Quadrilateral Dialogue'' or 
        ``Quad'' and referred to as such in this section), through 
        coordination between members of the Quad with respect to 
        diplomacy and development priorities, joint military exercises 
        and operations, and other activities that promote and balance 
        the political, economic, and security interests of the United 
        States with respect to Indian Ocean region countries.
            (6) An overview of efforts to support the economic 
        connectivity and development of island countries located within 
        the Indian Ocean region, including through the United States-
        India-Japan Trilateral Infrastructure Working Group, the Asia-
        Africa Growth Corridor, and other efforts to expand and enhance 
        connectivity across the Indo-Pacific region (including with the 
        countries of Southeast Asia) that maintain high standards of 
        investment and support for civil society and people-to-people 
        connectivity.
            (7) A description of how the United States may engage with 
        regional intergovernmental organizations and multilateral 
        organizations, including the Indian Ocean Rim Association and 
        the United Nations, to promote the political, economic, and 
        security goals of the United States in the Indian Ocean region.
            (8) A description of how the United States may facilitate 
        cooperation between Indian Ocean region countries (including 
        with the governments, civil society, academia, and private 
        sectors of such countries) and Taiwan, through Taiwan's New 
        Southbound Policy.
            (9) A review of the diplomatic posture of the United States 
        in the Indian Ocean region, including--
                    (A) an assessment of the diplomatic engagement by 
                the United States with Indian Ocean region countries 
                without a permanent United States embassy or diplomatic 
                mission;
                    (B) an assessment of means by which to improve 
                cooperation by the United States with the Maldives, the 
                Seychelles, and Comoros;
                    (C) an assessment of the sufficiency of United 
                States diplomatic personnel and facilities available in 
                the Indian Ocean region to achieve the policy referred 
                to in section 3;
                    (D) a description of any fiscal or personnel 
                resources required to fill identified gaps with respect 
                to such diplomatic posture; and
                    (E) a description of the bilateral and multilateral 
                diplomatic goals of the Department of State that the 
                Secretary of State deems necessary to achieve the 
                policy referred to in section 3.
            (10) A review of the agreements entered into between the 
        United States and Indian Ocean region countries for the purpose 
        of facilitating the military operations of the United States 
        pursuant to bilateral and multilateral agreements and a 
        description of any efforts to expand the naval and coast guard 
        cooperation of the United States with India and other Indian 
        Ocean region countries through the negotiation of additional 
        agreements.
            (11) A strategy for the provision of United States security 
        assistance to the governments of Indian Ocean region countries, 
        including a summary of the security priorities, objectives, and 
        actions of the prospective recipient country and a description 
        of the means by which the United States may support such 
        security priorities, objectives, and actions while promoting 
        the political, economic, and security goals of the United 
        States in the Indian Ocean region.
            (12) A security assistance assessment of the capabilities, 
        training, and funding needed for countries in the region to 
        push back against shared challenges in the region.
            (13) A plan to expand the foreign assistance presence of 
        the United States with respect to the governments of island 
        countries located within the Indian Ocean region, including a 
        description of any resources or policy tools required to expand 
        the ability of the United States to offer high-quality 
        infrastructure resiliency projects to such countries.
    (c) Inclusion.--The strategy under subsection (a) may be submitted 
to the appropriate congressional committees as a part of any other 
strategy relating to the Indo-Pacific region.
    (d) Reports on Implementation.--Not later than one year after the 
date on which the Secretary of State submits the strategy under 
subsection (a), and one year thereafter, the Secretary of State shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on progress 
made toward implementing the strategy.

SEC. 5. MODIFICATION TO UNITED STATES-CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY 
              REVIEW COMMISSION.

    (a) Modification.--Section 1238(c)(2)(E) of the Floyd D. Spence 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (22 U.S.C. 
7002(c)(2)(E)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``, including in the Indian Ocean region'' 
        after ``deployments of the People's Republic of China 
        military''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``In 
        this subparagraph, the term `Indian Ocean region' means the 
        Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, 
        and the littoral areas surrounding the Indian Ocean.''.
    (b) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to each report under section 1238 of the Floyd D. 
Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 required 
to be submitted on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
                Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
                Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
            (2) Indian ocean region.--The term ``Indian Ocean region'' 
        means the Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and the Bay 
        of Bengal, and the littoral areas surrounding the Indian Ocean.
            (3) Indian ocean region country.--The term ``Indian Ocean 
        region country'' means any country located within or 
        surrounding the Indian Ocean region.
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