118 S682 RS: Providing Appropriate Recognition and Treatment Needed to Enhance Relations with ASEAN Act U.S. Senate 2023-03-07 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IICalendar No. 48118th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 682IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMarch 7, 2023Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Risch, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Romney) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign RelationsMay 4, 2023Reported by Mr. Menendez, with an amendmentStrike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italicA BILLTo provide for the treatment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as an international organization for purposes of the International Organizations Immunities Act, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Providing Appropriate Recognition and Treatment Needed to Enhance Relations with ASEAN Act or the PARTNER with ASEAN Act.

2.

Statement of policy on deepening cooperation with ASEAN

It is the policy of the United States—(1)to reaffirm the United States-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2022 following 45 years of Dialogue Partnership;(2)to enhance United States-ASEAN cooperation in support of an open, transparent, resilient, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific;(3)to support regular, high-level United States official engagement with ASEAN, including the participation in the annual ASEAN Summit held each year;(4)to enhance cooperation with ASEAN member states as well as with the institution of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat, including through the United States Mission to ASEAN, led by the United States Ambassador to ASEAN; and(5)to welcome the decision in-principle by ASEAN to admit Timor-Leste to be ASEAN’s 11th member state and to encourage United States support to Timor-Leste in its capacity as an official ASEAN observer.

3.

Sense of Congress on the establishment of an ASEAN delegation to the United States

It is the sense of Congress that it is in the United States interest to encourage the establishment, at the earliest opportunity, of an ASEAN delegation to the United States, to enhance cooperation between ASEAN and the United States at all levels.

4.

Extension of diplomatic immunities to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

The provisions of the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288 et seq.) may be extended to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 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.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Providing Appropriate Recognition and Treatment Needed to Enhance Relations with ASEAN Act or the PARTNER with ASEAN Act.

2.

Statement of policy on deepening cooperation with ASEAN

It is the policy of the United States—(1)to reaffirm the United States-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2022 following 45 years of Dialogue Partnership;(2)to enhance United States-ASEAN cooperation in support of an open, transparent, resilient, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific;(3)to support regular, high-level United States official engagement with ASEAN, including the participation in the annual ASEAN Summit held each year;(4)to enhance cooperation with ASEAN member states, as appropriate, as well as with the institution of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat, including through the United States Mission to ASEAN, led by the United States Ambassador to ASEAN; and(5)to welcome the decision in-principle by ASEAN to admit Timor-Leste to be ASEAN’s 11th member state and to encourage United States support to Timor-Leste in its capacity as an official ASEAN observer.

3.

Sense of Congress on the establishment of an ASEAN delegation to the United States

It is the sense of Congress that—(1)it is in the United States interest to encourage the establishment, at the earliest opportunity, of an ASEAN delegation to the United States, to enhance cooperation between ASEAN and the United States at all levels; and(2)the establishment of an ASEAN center in the United States would support United States economic and cultural engagement with Southeast Asia.

4.

Extension of diplomatic immunities to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

The provisions of the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288 et seq.) may be extended to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 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.

May 4, 2023Reported with an amendment