[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4148 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4148

 To bolster United States engagement with the Pacific Islands region, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 17, 2024

 Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself and Ms. Ernst) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To bolster United States engagement with the Pacific Islands 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 ``Pacific Partnership Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United States has longstanding and enduring 
        cultural, historic, economic, strategic, and people-to-people 
        connections with the Pacific Islands region, based on shared 
        values, cultural histories, common interests, and a commitment 
        to fostering mutual understanding and cooperation;
            (2) successive Presidential administrations have recognized 
        the critical importance of the Pacific Islands region to the 
        world in high-level strategic documents, including--
                    (A) the 2015 National Security Strategy, which 
                first declared the rebalance to Asia and the Pacific, 
                affirmed the United States as a Pacific nation, and 
                paved the way for subsequent United States engagement 
                with the Pacific Islands region;
                    (B) the 2017 National Security Strategy, which 
                included a commitment to ``shore up fragile partner 
                states in the Pacific Islands region to reduce their 
                vulnerability to economic fluctuations and natural 
                disasters'';
                    (C) the 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, which 
                identified the Pacific Islands region as ``critical to 
                the U.S. strategy because of our shared values, 
                interests, and commitments'';
                    (D) the 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy, which 
                recognized the need to engage further with the Pacific 
                Islands region on shared security goals; and
                    (E) the 2022 Pacific Partnership Strategy, which 
                outlined goals and methods for deepening United States 
                partnerships with Pacific Island nations;
            (3) the United States Government should further develop, 
        expand, and support a comprehensive and multifaceted United 
        States policy for the Pacific Islands region that--
                    (A) promotes peace, security, and prosperity for 
                all nations in a manner that respects the sovereignty 
                and political independence of all nations;
                    (B) preserves the Pacific Ocean as a corridor for 
                international maritime economic opportunities and 
                growth and promotes sustainable development;
                    (C) supports regional efforts to address shared 
                challenges, including by strengthening resilience to 
                natural disasters and stewardship of natural resources; 
                and
                    (D) strengthens democratic governance and the rule 
                of law and promotes human rights and the preservation 
                of the region's cultural heritages;
            (4) the United States should support the vision, values, 
        and objectives of existing regional multilateral institutions, 
        such as the Pacific Islands Forum and the Pacific Community, 
        and frameworks including--
                    (A) the 2000 Biketawa Declaration;
                    (B) the 2014 Framework for Pacific Regionalism;
                    (C) the 2018 Boe Declaration on Regional Security;
                    (D) the Boe Declaration Action Plan; and
                    (E) the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific 
                Continent; and
            (5) the United States should work closely with allies and 
        partners of the United States that have existing relationships 
        and interests in the Pacific Islands region, such as Australia, 
        Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Taiwan, and regional 
        institutions such as the Pacific Islands Forum.

SEC. 3. STRATEGY FOR PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP.

    (a) In General.--Not later than January 1, 2026, and every 4 years 
thereafter, the President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, 
shall develop and submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
strategy entitled the ``Strategy for Pacific Partnership'' (in this 
section referred to as the ``Strategy'').
    (b) Matters To Be Included.--The Strategy shall include each of the 
following:
            (1) A description of overarching goals for United States 
        engagement in the Pacific Islands region, including with 
        respect to the diplomatic posts, defense posture, and economic 
        engagement of the United States.
            (2) An assessment of threats to and pressures on the 
        Pacific Islands region, including such threats and pressures 
        caused by factors such as--
                    (A) natural disasters;
                    (B) illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing;
                    (C) the presence and activity of non-United States 
                militaries;
                    (D) developmental challenges;
                    (E) economic coercion and corruption; and
                    (F) other factors causing a direct risk to the 
                national interests of the United States in the Pacific 
                Islands region, as determined by the President.
            (3) A plan to address the threats assessed pursuant to 
        paragraph (2).
            (4) An analysis of the needs and goals expressed by 
        governments of nations in the Pacific Islands region, including 
        at or through multilateral institutions, evaluated in light of 
        the national interests of the United States.
            (5) A plan for the resources necessary for the United 
        States to meet its goals in the Pacific Islands region.
            (6) An identification of mechanisms, including existing 
        forums, for coordinating and cooperating on shared goals among 
        the following, as appropriate:
                    (A) The governments of nations in the Pacific 
                Islands region.
                    (B) Regional partners in the Pacific Islands 
                region, including multilateral forums and organizations 
                such as the Pacific Islands Forum.
                    (C) Civil society in the Pacific Islands region.
                    (D) Subnational governments of the United States in 
                the Pacific.
    (c) Consultation.--In developing the Strategy, the President shall 
consult, as the President considers appropriate, with--
            (1) such governmental agencies of the United States as the 
        President considers relevant;
            (2) regional organizations such as the Pacific Islands 
        Forum, the Pacific Islands Development Program, the Pacific 
        Community, the Forum Fisheries Agency, and the Secretariat of 
        the Pacific Regional Environment Programme;
            (3) the governments of nations in the Pacific Islands 
        region;
            (4) stakeholders from civil society;
            (5) allies and partners of the United States; and
            (6) States and territories of the United States in the 
        Pacific.
    (d) Report on Implementation.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
        which the Strategy is submitted, the President shall submit to 
        the appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
        implementation of the Strategy.
            (2) Matters to be included.--The report required by 
        paragraph (1) shall include the following:
                    (A) A proposed timeline for the implementation of 
                the Strategy.
                    (B) The number of full-time equivalent positions 
                and contractors needed to achieve the goals included in 
                the Strategy.
                    (C) A description of any institutional or 
                structural reorganizations the President recommends to 
                help carry out the Strategy.
                    (D) An identification of any additional funding 
                needed to carry out the Strategy.
            (3) Consolidation.--The report required by paragraph (1) 
        may be consolidated with any other report required to be 
        submitted by the President on the date described in such 
        paragraph or a similar date.

SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES, EXEMPTIONS, AND IMMUNITIES 
              TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM.

    The provisions of the International Organizations Immunities Act 
(22 U.S.C. 288 et seq.) may be extended to the Pacific Islands Forum in 
the same manner, to the same extent, and subject to the same conditions 
as such provisions may be extended to a public international 
organization in which the United States participates pursuant to any 
treaty or under the authority of any Act of Congress authorizing such 
participation or making an appropriation for such participation.

SEC. 5. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION WITH ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE 
              PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION.

    (a) In General.--The President, in consultation with the Secretary 
of State and such other heads of Federal departments and agencies as 
the President considers relevant, shall consult and coordinate with 
allies and partners of the United States in the Pacific Islands region, 
including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, and regional 
institutions such as the Pacific Islands Forum, the Pacific Islands 
Development Program, the Pacific Community, and the Secretariat of the 
Pacific Regional Environment Programme, with respect to programs to 
provide assistance to the Pacific Islands region, including for 
purposes of--
            (1) deconflicting programming;
            (2) ensuring that any programming does not adversely affect 
        the absorptive capacity of the Pacific Islands region;
            (3) ensuring complementary programs benefit the Pacific 
        Islands region to the maximum extent practicable; and
            (4) ensuring that programming aligns with regional 
        development goals, as outlined by documents such as the 2050 
        Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, in order to support 
        sustainable development and promote a shared vision for the 
        future of the Pacific Islands region.
    (b) Formal Consultative Process.--The President shall establish a 
formal consultative process with the allies and partners described in 
subsection (a) for coordination with respect to the programs described 
in such subsection.

SEC. 6. REPORTS ON TRANSNATIONAL CRIME AFFECTING THE PACIFIC ISLANDS 
              REGION.

    (a) Updates of Certain Reports.--The Secretary of State, in 
coordination with such other heads of Federal departments and agencies 
as the Secretary considers appropriate, shall annually update the 
reports listed in subsection (b) to include a discussion of 
transnational crime affecting the Pacific Islands region.
    (b) Reports Listed.--The reports listed in this subsection are the 
following:
            (1) The international narcotics control strategy report 
        required by section 489(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
        1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291h(a)).
            (2) The report on international compliance with fisheries 
        requirements required by section 607 of the High Seas Driftnet 
        Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1826h).
            (3) The report on trafficking in persons required by 
        section 110(b)(1) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 
        2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107(b)(1)).

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives.
            (2) Pacific islands region.--The term ``Pacific Islands 
        region'' means the nations, territories, and other 
        jurisdictions in the Pacific Ocean within Melanesia, 
        Micronesia, and Polynesia.
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