[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 95 (Monday, June 15, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S4166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2038. Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. Corker) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. 
McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
year 2016 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for 
military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of 
Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       Strike section 1261 and insert the following:

     SEC. 1261. MARITIME SECURITY CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM.

       (a) Program Authorized.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of State is authorized, 
     using funds transferred pursuant to subsection (b), to 
     provide assistance for the purpose of increasing maritime 
     security and domain awareness for countries in the Asia-
     Pacific region.
       (2) Designation of assistance.--Assistance provided by the 
     Secretary under this section shall be known as the ``Maritime 
     Security Capacity Building Program'' (in this section 
     referred to as the ``Program'').
       (3) Construction of limitations.--The Secretary may provide 
     assistance under this section without regard to any other 
     provision of law, other than section 620J of the Foreign 
     Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2378d)).
       (b) Transfer Authority.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
     transfer, from amounts authorized to be appropriated for the 
     Department of Defense by this Act, $50,000,000 to the 
     Secretary of State for the Program. Any amount so transferred 
     shall be deposited in the ``Foreign Military Finance'' 
     account for purposes of the Program.
       (c) Eligible Countries.--In selecting countries in the 
     Asia-Pacific region to which assistance is to be provided 
     under the Program, the Secretary of State shall prioritize 
     the provision of assistance to countries that will contribute 
     to the achievement of following objectives:
       (1) Retaining unhindered access to and use of international 
     waterways in the Asia-Pacific region that are critical to 
     ensuring the security and free flow of commerce and achieving 
     United States national security objectives.
       (2) Improving maritime domain awareness in the Asia-Pacific 
     region.
       (3) Countering piracy in the Asia-Pacific region.
       (4) Disrupting illicit maritime trafficking activities and 
     other forms of maritime trafficking activity in the Asia-
     Pacific that directly benefit organizations that have been 
     determined to be a security threat to the United States.
       (5) Enhancing the maritime capabilities of a country or 
     regional organization to respond to emerging threats to 
     maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region.
       (d) Priorities for Assistance.--In carrying out the purpose 
     of the Program, the Secretary of State--
       (1) shall place priority on assistance to enhance the 
     maritime security capabilities of the military or security 
     forces of countries in the Asia-Pacific region that have 
     maritime missions and the government agencies responsible for 
     such forces; and
       (2) may provide assistance to a country in the Asia-Pacific 
     region to enhance the capabilities of that country, or of a 
     regional organization that includes that country, to conduct 
     one or more of the following:
       (A) Maritime intelligence, surveillance, and 
     reconnaissance.
       (B) Littoral and port security.
       (C) Coast guard operations.
       (D) Command and control.
       (E) Management and oversight of maritime activities.
       (e) Annual Report.--The Secretary of State shall submit to 
     the appropriate committees of Congress each year a report on 
     the status of the provision of equipment, training, supplies 
     or other services provided pursuant to the Program during the 
     preceding year.
       (f) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee of Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     Senate; and
       (2) the Committee of Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives.

     SEC. 1261A. REPORT ON PLANS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF FREEDOM OF 
                   OPERATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS AND AIRSPACE 
                   IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC MARITIME DOMAINS.

       (a) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
     shall, with the concurrence with the Secretary of State, 
     submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report (in 
     classified form) setting forth a plan, for each of the six-
     month, one-year, and three-year periods beginning on the date 
     of such report, for Freedom of Navigation Assertions, Shows 
     of Force, bilateral and multilateral military exercises, Port 
     Calls, Training, and assistance intended to enhance the 
     maritime capabilities, respond to emerging threats, and 
     maintain freedom of operations in international waters and 
     airspace in the Asia-Pacific maritime domains.
       (b) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee of Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     Senate; and
       (2) the Committee of Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives.
                                 ______