[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 196 (Wednesday, November 18, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5911-H5913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PARTNERING AND LEVERAGING ASSISTANCE TO STOP TRASH FOR INTERNATIONAL 
                            CLEANER SEAS ACT

  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4636) to authorize the Secretary of State and the 
Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development 
to prioritize and advance efforts to improve waste management systems 
and prevent and reduce plastic waste and marine debris, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4636

       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 ``Partnering and Leveraging 
     Assistance to Stop Trash for International Cleaner Seas Act'' 
     or the ``PLASTICS Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Eight million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean 
     every year. Marine debris damages the health of marine life, 
     impedes local economic development, and threatens health 
     systems. Ten river systems carry an estimated 90 percent of 
     the river-based plastic waste that ends up in the ocean.
       (2) Mismanaged plastic waste has the highest risk of 
     contaminating rivers and oceans. China contributes the 
     largest share of this mismanaged waste, followed by 
     Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Egypt, 
     Nigeria, and South Africa. The United States is the world's 
     second-largest producer and consumer of plastics products, 
     and the top exporter of plastic scrap.
       (3) Most marine debris, particularly plastics, enters the 
     oceans from land-based sources, mainly in developing 
     countries, that lack the capacity to adequately manage waste 
     and prevent dumping.
       (4) During the Our Ocean Conference in October 2018, the 
     United States announced assistance to prevent marine debris 
     from entering the ocean through development of waste 
     management systems and reduce plastics in marine protected 
     areas in the Indo-Pacific.
       (5) During the June 2019 G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, the 
     United States joined other G20 members in endorsing the 
     ``Osaka Blue Ocean Vision'' to reduce additional pollution by 
     marine plastic litter to zero by 2050 and the G20 
     Implementation Framework for Actions on Marine Plastic 
     Litter, which outlines a commitment to prevent and reduce 
     plastic debris in the oceans through waste management and 
     clean-up efforts to remove marine plastic debris and 
     prioritizes efforts to advance innovative solutions and 
     international cooperation to support such initiatives.

     SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

       It is the policy of the United States to consult, partner, 
     and coordinate with the governments of foreign countries, 
     international organizations, private and civil society 
     entities, and other stakeholders in a concerted effort to--
       (1) prevent and reduce marine debris and plastic waste, 
     including through reduced consumption, greater transparency 
     in global trade of plastic waste, and support for integrated 
     waste management systems in developing countries;
       (2) advance innovative market-based solutions and catalyze 
     private capital to prevent and reduce marine debris and 
     plastic waste, support integrated waste management systems, 
     and improve market demand for recycled material;
       (3) build the capacity of national and subnational 
     governments in other countries to develop and implement 
     integrated waste management systems, measure and report 
     progress in reducing plastic waste, and prevent plastic waste 
     from entering rivers and oceans;
       (4) support local economic development through programs 
     that assist community members, particularly women, youth, and 
     marginalized populations, to derive economic benefit from 
     waste products and participation in waste management systems; 
     and
       (5) engage in international and regional cooperation to 
     prevent and reduce marine debris and plastic waste, share 
     best practices, and empower national and subnational 
     governments, local communities, civil society, and the 
     private sector to engage in such efforts.

     SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that, in pursuing the policy 
     described in section 3, the President should direct United 
     States representatives to appropriate international bodies to 
     use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to 
     advocate support for the following:
       (1) Efforts to improve transparency in global trade of 
     plastic waste, improve plastic waste regulation to ensure the 
     safety of humans and the environment, strengthen integrated 
     waste management systems, and prevent, reduce, reuse, and 
     recycle plastic waste, to the extent practical.
       (2) Collaborative approaches to establish measurable 
     targets and objectives, with related action plans, for 
     reducing marine debris and plastic waste from all sources and 
     sharing best practices in waste prevention and management 
     systems to prevent plastic waste.

     SEC. 5. UNITED STATES SUPPORT TO IMPROVE WASTE MANAGEMENT 
                   SYSTEMS AND PREVENT AND REDUCE MARINE DEBRIS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of State and the 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development, in coordination with the heads of relevant 
     Federal departments and agencies, are authorized to 
     prioritize and advance ongoing global efforts to--
       (1) prevent and reduce marine debris and plastic waste, 
     including through reduced consumption, greater transparency 
     in global trade of plastic waste, and support for integrated 
     waste management systems in developing countries;
       (2) advance innovative market-based solutions and catalyze 
     private capital to prevent and reduce marine debris and 
     plastic waste, support integrated waste management systems, 
     and improve market demand for recycled material;
       (3) build the capacity of national and subnational 
     governments in other countries to develop and implement 
     integrated waste management systems, measure and report 
     progress in reducing plastic waste, and prevent plastic waste 
     from entering rivers and oceans; and
       (4) support local economic development through programs 
     that assist community members, particularly women, youth, and 
     marginalized populations, to derive economic benefit from 
     waste products and participation in waste management systems.
       (b) Coordination With Private Sector.--The Secretary and 
     the Administrator, in coordination with the Chief Executive 
     Officer of the United States International Development 
     Finance Corporation and the Chief Executive Officer of the 
     Millennium Challenge Corporation and in consultation with the 
     heads of relevant Federal departments and agencies, are 
     authorized and encouraged to work with entities in the 
     private sector and with nongovernmental organizations to 
     leverage sources of public and private capital to complement 
     the efforts described in subsection (a), including by 
     financing infrastructure investments, supporting capacity-
     building activities, and entering into cost-sharing, cost-
     matching, and other cooperative agreements to support and 
     finance such efforts.
       (c) Monitoring and Evaluation.--The Secretary and the 
     Administrator shall establish monitoring and evaluation 
     mechanisms, including measurable goals, objectives, and 
     benchmarks, to ensure the effective use of United States 
     foreign assistance to achieve the objectives described in 
     paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (a).
       (d) Domestic Resource Mobilization.--In carrying out the 
     authority under subsection (a), the Secretary and the 
     Administrator, in coordination with the heads of relevant 
     Federal departments and agencies, shall seek to provide 
     technical assistance to mobilize the domestic resources of 
     recipient countries in order to increase cost-sharing, self-
     reliance, and host country ownership of waste prevention and 
     management programs.
       (e) Cost Limitation.--No additional funds are authorized to 
     be appropriated to carry out this Act.
       (f) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Administrator, 
     in consultation with the heads of relevant Federal 
     departments and agencies, shall jointly submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report on ongoing 
     programs and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to carry 
     out the authority under subsection (a) that includes a 
     description of--
       (1) the monitoring and evaluation plans and indicators used 
     to measure performance of assistance programs, in accordance 
     with subsection (d);
       (2) best practices and lessons learned in implementing the 
     efforts authorized under subsection (a);
       (3) the extent to which recipient countries have 
     demonstrated a commitment and willingness to cooperate to 
     advance the efforts described in subsection (a) and to 
     dedicate resources to support waste prevention and management 
     initiatives;
       (4) the extent to which host country governments and other 
     governments in the region are investing resources to advance 
     initiatives to prevent or reduce marine debris and plastic 
     waste and develop integrated waste management systems; and
       (5) the extent to which other funding sources, including 
     through private sector investment, have been identified to 
     advance waste prevention and management initiatives.
       (g) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and

[[Page H5912]]

       (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate.

     SEC. 6. PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION INITIATIVE.

       (a) In General.--The Chief Executive Officer of the United 
     States International Development Finance Corporation is 
     authorized to establish, in coordination with relevant 
     Federal departments and agencies and incorporating any 
     existing programs of the Corporation for such purposes, an 
     initiative to pursue investment opportunities to address 
     plastic waste pollution and support improved, integrated 
     waste management systems in developing countries, including 
     by catalyzing global public and private-sector investments to 
     prevent and reduce marine debris and plastic waste in such 
     countries.
       (b) Reference.--The initiative established under subsection 
     (a) may be referred to as the ``Plastic Waste Reduction 
     Initiative''.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Espaillat) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 4636.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
McCaul), the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, for his 
hard work on this measure, which I am pleased to support.
  This bill aims to address a growing problem we all see around the 
world: plastic waste and other debris in our oceans.
  Products made from plastic are a part of everyday life. In the 
morning, we brush our teeth with a plastic toothbrush and wash our hair 
with shampoo from a plastic bottle. We drink water from a plastic cup, 
eat snacks out of plastic containers, and consume meals with plastic 
utensils. We drive cars with plastic components and do our work on 
plastic keyboards. At the end of the day, when we throw plastic away, 
we don't often think about where it ends up.
  Well, every day, more than 8 million metric tons of it end up in the 
ocean, leading to a host of problems. It damages the health of marine 
life, chokes off economic development, and harms the environment.
  Most marine debris enters the ocean from land-based sources, mainly 
in developing countries that aren't able to manage waste and prevent 
dumping.
  This legislation will advance efforts to work with national 
governments and local communities to develop integrated waste 
management systems to effectively prevent and reduce plastic waste.
  It encourages Federal departments and agencies to work with the 
private sector and nongovernmental organizations, aiming to leverage 
public and private capital in concert with American assistance 
programs.
  It supports local economic development initiatives to assist 
community members--particularly women, young people, and marginalized 
populations--to realize the economic benefits to be gained in scaling 
up waste management systems.
  It also urges U.S. leadership in international and regional efforts 
to prevent and reduce marine debris and plastic waste. This legislation 
supports the commitment that the United States made at both the 2018 
Our Ocean Conference and the 2019 G20 Summit to achieve measurable 
benchmarks in preventing marine debris from entering the ocean and 
reduce plastic pollution.
  The United States is one of the world's largest producer and consumer 
of plastic products, and the top exporter of plastic scrap. So we have 
a critical role to play in addressing this particular issue. This 
legislation puts us on the right track to remedy this rapidly growing 
problem.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this legislation, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York and Chairman Engel 
for their support.
  Mr. Speaker, over 8 million metric tons of plastic enters the oceans 
each year. That is the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic 
being dumped out every single minute.
  According to the United Nations Environment Program, if no change is 
enacted, our oceans could contain more plastic bags than fish by 2050.
  Mismanaged plastic waste in our oceans and communities can take 
centuries to decompose. That threatens economic development, hurts 
marine life, and threatens health systems around the world. Reversing 
the trend of increased plastic waste in our oceans will require a 
coordinated global response.
  It is important to note that just 10 river systems carry an estimated 
90 percent of river-based plastic waste to the ocean. China contributes 
the largest share of this mismanaged waste, followed by developing 
countries, such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
  That is why Chairman Engel and I introduced the PLASTICS Act. This 
legislation elevates the United States to a leadership role in 
international efforts to reduce and safely manage plastic waste.
  The PLASTICS Act will allow America to do more to help build the 
capacity of developing countries to manage their waste. And it will 
help prevent more waste from spilling into the ocean on the scale that 
it is today.
  The PLASTICS Act elevates ongoing efforts by USAID, and it 
prioritizes new partnerships between the private sector and the U.S. 
Development Finance Corporation. This will allow us to leverage 
additional financing for companies putting these waste management 
practices into place in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that yesterday the United States 
Development Finance Corporation announced its Ocean Plastics 
Initiative, based on this bill, and it is exactly what this bill calls 
for. This initiative aims to catalyze $2.5 billion in the private 
sector infrastructure investments aimed at reducing plastic waste and 
marine debris.
  By elevating the role of women and marginalized populations in these 
initiatives, we can spur economic development and opportunity across 
the globe. Our work to combat plastic waste is an investment in the 
health of our oceans and our communities, not just for ourselves, but 
also for future generations.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for 
his leadership, and I also rise in enthusiastic support for the 
PLASTICS Act of Mr. McCaul and Mr. Engel.
  Texas is a Gulf State. Before we even get to the ocean, we can see 
the impact of plastic even in our area. To hear the stark report that 
more plastic than fish in 2050, I ask the question: What do we leave 
for our children?
  I think this legislation has a very important and strategic point to 
combine public and private partnership, to acknowledge the devastation 
of plastic, and to be able, in essence, to save the Earth.
  Mr. Speaker, for a moment, I want to allude also to the 
nonproliferation legislation that we just discussed and to join in 
support of the dire conditions and dire straits that the Nation and the 
world will be in if we allow the proliferation of nuclear abilities.
  It is very important that we contain those nuclear abilities. We have 
been on the floor today discussing Russia and its poisoning of 
dissidents, its intrusion into its neighbors. And we understand that 
the reckless use of nuclear materials really pose a danger to our 
children and our children's children. It is for that reason that I 
believe that we must continue fighting for nuclear nonproliferation.
  As a member of the European Parliamentary Exchange and many other 
groups discussing this, I believe this is an important and ongoing 
responsibility, along with the PLASTICS Act, it is intended to make our 
world safer and better for all. That is a commitment that we, as the 
Members of the United States Congress, should take extremely seriously, 
and I think it will be we who will stand in the gap to show

[[Page H5913]]

the world what America's true values really are. We care about the 
environment and we care to keep the world safe from nuclear 
proliferation.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank the sponsor 
and the cosponsor of the legislation.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close if the gentleman from 
New York has no further speakers.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, as my colleagues and I have been speaking on 
this bill for the last 10 minutes, over 300,000 pounds of plastic has 
entered our oceans. It is amazing to think about that, just in the 10 
minutes we have been speaking here today.
  Reversing this trend and preventing plastic from choking our oceans 
will require this coordinated global response that is both practical, 
innovative, measurable, and, quite frankly, it is the right thing to do 
for our future generations.
  With the PLASTICS Act, we will be taking a huge large step in that 
direction. We have a duty to protect future generations from the 
repercussions of today's waste. I also strongly support ongoing efforts 
to ensure final passage of Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, which includes 
components of this legislation.

  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for 
their great bipartisan work. I also thank my dear chairman, Eliot 
Engel, and the gentleman from New York. Chairman Engel has been a dear 
friend of mine in this Congress. We are going to be sad to see him go, 
but I know he has bright aspirations for his future, and we look 
forward to celebrating with him. And one way we can celebrate this is 
by passing the PLASTICS Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I thank the manager and 
the sponsor of this legislation for their kind courtesies.
  Mr. Speaker, it is never too late to say ``thank you,'' and I wanted 
to just not forget to thank Chairman Engel for the years of commitment 
to these issues and to his service on the Foreign Affairs and the 
Energy and Commerce Committees.
  I know this list of legislative initiatives has had the impact of our 
manager, the distinguished gentleman from New York, and certainly all 
of the friends and the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. 
But I think it is appropriate, having known Mr. Engel for a very long 
time, that he is a true believer in democracy, he is a believer in the 
international responsibilities of the United States, and he is also one 
who recognizes transition of government in the right way. He is 
transitioning, and he is doing it with dignity and respect.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to express to him my deepest respect for his 
service to not only the United States Congress and his family's 
sacrifice, but to the United States of America. We thank him for that 
service. It is my desire to have that in the Record at this time. I 
thank him on behalf of this Nation.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a great example of how America can 
lead in finding solutions to environmental challenges such as this one, 
a grave challenge to the world, and helps to create jobs and builds 
prosperity.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support it, and I am grateful that Mr. 
McCaul and all the bill's cosponsors have put this forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4636, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________