[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2725 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2725

To authorize the establishment of the US-ASEAN Center to support United 
      States economic and cultural engagement with Southeast Asia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 5, 2023

 Mr. Van Hollen (for himself and Mr. Romney) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the establishment of the US-ASEAN Center to support United 
      States economic and cultural engagement with Southeast Asia.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. US-ASEAN CENTER.

    (a) Defined Term.--In this Act, the term ``ASEAN'' means the 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
    (b) Establishment.--The Secretary of State is authorized to enter 
into a public-private partnership for the purposes of establishing a 
US-ASEAN Center in the United States to support United States economic 
and cultural engagement with Southeast Asia.
    (c) Functions.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the US-
ASEAN Center established pursuant to subsection (b) may--
            (1) provide grants for research to support and elevate the 
        importance of the US-ASEAN partnership;
            (2) facilitate activities to strengthen US-ASEAN trade and 
        investment;
            (3) expand economic and technological relationships between 
        ASEAN countries and the United States into new areas of 
        cooperation;
            (4) provide training to United States citizens and citizens 
        of ASEAN countries that improve people-to-people ties;
            (5) develop educational programs to increase awareness for 
        the United States and ASEAN countries on the importance of 
        relations between the United States and ASEAN countries; and
            (6) carry out other activities the Secretary of State 
        considers necessary to strengthen ties between the United 
        States and ASEAN countries and achieve the objectives of the 
        US-ASEAN Center.
                                 <all>