[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4600 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 512
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4600
To require a South China Sea diplomatic engagement strategy, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 20, 2026
Ms. Duckworth (for herself and Mr. Curtis) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
July 27, 2026
Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a South China Sea diplomatic engagement strategy, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``South China Sea Strategy
Act of 2026''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. UNITED STATES POLICY.</DELETED>
<DELETED> It is the policy of the United States--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) to support the importance of the freedom of
navigation, overflight, and unfettered commerce in the South
China Sea, in a manner consistent with international law to
preserve United States economic interests in the
region;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) to commit to a rules-based approach to
resolving maritime disputes;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) to counter efforts by the People's Republic of
China (PRC) to unilaterally change the status quo and treat the
South China Sea as its unilateral dominion, undermining
regional stability and contravening the PRC's prior commitments
to resolve disputes peacefully and through appropriate legal
venues; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) to engage with allies and partners in a
concerted, coordinated manner to support a strategic,
consistent approach to diplomatic engagement on issues and
crises that arise that affect United States interests in the
South China Sea, including to ensure the safety of United
States citizens in the region.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. SOUTH CHINA SEA DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT
STRATEGY.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a Strategy for Diplomatic Engagement on the
South China Sea to ensure that the United States Government is
operating in a smart, strategic direction in line with United States
interests to maximize our efficient engagement on South China Sea
matters.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Elements.--The Strategy listed in subsection (a)
shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) describe the overarching goals of United
States engagement with littoral states, allies, and partners on
security, diplomatic, legal, and economic matters in the South
China Sea;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) designate an office tasked with lead
responsibility for coordinating execution of each goal
described in paragraph (1);</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) analyze the successes of the Department of
State's existing mechanisms, programs, and forums for advancing
United States goals in the South China Sea through bilateral,
multilateral, subnational, civil society, and private sector
avenues with littoral states, allies, and partners, and
identifies gaps in engagement;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) detail plans to deepen bilateral engagement
with each littoral state around pressures, threats and
opportunities in the South China Sea identified as priorities
in previous bilateral engagements;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) detail plans to convene and increase the
frequency of collective engagements with littoral states,
including additional allies and partners as appropriate, around
themes of shared importance, including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) bolstering defense
capabilities;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) reinforcing maritime law enforcement
capacity and governance;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) responding to grey-zone tactics,
including coordinated illegal, unreported, and
unregulated fishing;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) managing maritime territorial disputes
to reducing the likelihood of security crises and
conflicts;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) preparing crisis management and
response mechanisms to avoid potential actions that
could unnecessarily provoke or exacerbate a volatile or
tense situation;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) building resilience to foreign malign
influence and interference;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (G) supporting economic development and
resilience to economic coercion; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (H) addressing additional factors assessed
by the Secretary to be causing a direct risk to the
United States national interests in the South China
Sea; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) detail plans for coordination with the
interagency and foreign governments to address crisis
management for scenarios short of war that would require
heightened interagency and international engagement.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Classification.--The strategy submitted under
subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include
a classified annex.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. STRATEGY EXECUTION.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Identification of Necessary Programs and Resources.--
Not later than 360 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of State shall identify and submit to the appropriate
congressional committees any necessary program, policy, or budgetary
resources required to support implementation of the Strategy for
Diplomatic Engagement on the South China Sea for fiscal years 2027,
2028, and 2029.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after the submission
of the assessment described in subsection (a), the Secretary of State
shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on the
implementation of the Strategy for Diplomatic Engagement on the South
China Sea.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The
term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of
the Senate; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the House of Representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Littoral states.--The term ``littoral states''
means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) Brunei;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) Indonesia;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) Malaysia;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) the Philippines; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) Vietnam.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``South China Sea Strategy Act of
2026''.
SEC. 2. UNITED STATES POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to support the importance of the freedom of navigation,
overflight, and unfettered commerce in the South China Sea, in
a manner consistent with international law to preserve United
States economic interests in the region;
(2) to commit to a rules-based approach to resolving
maritime disputes;
(3) to counter efforts by the People's Republic of China
(PRC) to unilaterally change the status quo and treat the South
China Sea as its unilateral dominion, undermining regional
stability and contravening the PRC's prior commitments to
resolve disputes peacefully and through appropriate legal
venues; and
(4) to engage with allies and partners in a concerted,
coordinated manner to support a strategic, consistent approach
to diplomatic engagement on issues and crises that affect
United States interests in the South China Sea, including to
ensure the safety of United States citizens in the region.
SEC. 3. SOUTH CHINA SEA DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall, in consultation
with the Secretary of Defense, submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a Strategy for Diplomatic Engagement on the South China Sea
to ensure that the United States Government is operating strategically
to maximize our efficient engagement on South China Sea matters.
(b) Elements.--The Strategy listed in subsection (a) shall--
(1) describe the overarching goals of United States
engagement with allies and partners, including with littoral
states, on security, diplomatic, legal, and economic matters in
the South China Sea;
(2) designate an office at the Department of State tasked
with the lead responsibility for coordinating the execution of
each goal described in paragraph (1);
(3) analyze the successes of the Department of State's
existing mechanisms, programs, and forums for advancing United
States goals in the South China Sea through bilateral,
multilateral, subnational, civil society, and private sector
avenues with allies and partners, including littoral states,
and identify gaps in engagement;
(4) detail plans to deepen bilateral engagement with each
littoral state around pressures, threats, and opportunities in
the South China Sea identified as priorities in previous
bilateral engagements;
(5) detail plans to convene and increase the frequency of
collective engagements with littoral states, including Taiwan
and additional allies and partners as appropriate, around
themes of shared importance, including--
(A) bolstering defense capabilities;
(B) reinforcing maritime law enforcement capacity
and governance;
(C) responding to grey-zone tactics, including
coordinated illegal, unreported, and unregulated
fishing;
(D) managing maritime territorial disputes to
reduce the likelihood of security crises and conflicts;
(E) preparing crisis management and response
mechanisms to avoid unnecessary escalation;
(F) building resilience to foreign malign influence
and interference in the South China Sea;
(G) supporting economic development and resilience
to economic coercion from foreign adversaries; and
(H) addressing additional factors assessed by the
Secretary of State to be causing a direct risk to
United States interests in the South China Sea; and
(6) detail plans for coordination with the interagency and
foreign governments to address crisis management for scenarios
below the threshold of armed conflict that would require
heightened interagency and international engagement.
(c) Classification.--The strategy submitted under subsection (a)
shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified
annex.
SEC. 4. STRATEGY EXECUTION.
(a) Identification of Necessary Programs and Resources.--Not later
than 360 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of State shall identify and submit to the appropriate
congressional committees any necessary program, policy, or budgetary
resources required to support implementation of the Strategy for
Diplomatic Engagement on the South China Sea for fiscal years 2027,
2028, and 2029.
(b) Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after the submission of the
assessment described in subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall
brief the appropriate congressional committees on the implementation of
the Strategy for Diplomatic Engagement on the South China Sea.
SEC. 5. 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) Littoral states.--The term ``littoral states'' means--
(A) Brunei;
(B) Indonesia;
(C) Malaysia;
(D) the Philippines; and
(E) Vietnam.
SEC. 6. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
(a) Rule of Construction Regarding Continued United States Policy
Toward Taiwan and the Government of the PRC.--Nothing in this Act may
be construed as a change to the One China Policy of the United States,
which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.),
the three United States-People's Republic of China Joint Communiques,
and the Six Assurances.
Calendar No. 512
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4600
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a South China Sea diplomatic engagement strategy, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 27, 2026
Reported with an amendment