[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 27, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4543-H4545]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1415
CARIBBEAN BASIN SECURITY INITIATIVE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4133) to authorize appropriations for the Caribbean Basin
Security Initiative, enhance the United States-Caribbean security
partnership, prioritize disaster resilience, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4133
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 ``Caribbean Basin Security
Initiative Authorization Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE CARIBBEAN
BASIN SECURITY INITIATIVE.
(a) Authorization.--There is authorized to be appropriated
$74,800,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to
carry out the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative to achieve
the purposes described in subsection (b).
(b) Purposes.--The purposes described in this subsection
are the following:
(1) To promote citizen safety, security, and the rule of
law in the Caribbean through increased strategic engagement
with the governments of beneficiary countries and with
elements of local civil society, including the private
sector, in such countries.
(2) To carry out the promotion of such safety, security,
and the rule of law through efforts including the following:
(A) Capacity building for law enforcement and military
units, including professionalization, anti-corruption and
human rights training, vetting, and community-based policing.
(B) Maritime and aerial security cooperation, including
assistance to strengthen Caribbean maritime and aerial
interdiction operations capability and the provision of
support systems and equipment, training, and maintenance.
(C) Border and port security cooperation, including support
to strengthen capacity for screening and to intercept
narcotics, weapons, bulk cash, and other contraband at
airports and seaports.
(D) Support for justice sector reform and strengthening of
the rule of law, including capacity building for prosecutors,
judges, and other justice officials, and support to increase
the efficacy of criminal courts.
(E) Cybersecurity and cybercrime cooperation, including
capacity-building and support for cybersecurity systems.
(F) Countering transnational criminal organizations and
local gang activity, including capacity-building, equipment,
and support for operations targeting the finances and illegal
activities of transnational criminal networks and local gangs
such as their recruitment of at-risk youth, and the provision
of assistance to populations vulnerable to being victims of
extortion and crime by criminal networks.
(G) Strengthening special prosecutorial offices and
providing technical assistance to combat corruption, money
laundering, financial crimes, extortion, and human rights
crimes, and conduct asset forfeitures and criminal analysis.
(H) Strengthening the ability of the security sector to
respond to and become more resilient in the face of natural
disasters, including by carrying out training exercises to
ensure critical infrastructure and ports are able to come
back online rapidly following disasters and providing
preparedness training to police and first responders.
(I) Supporting training for civilian police and appropriate
security services in criminal investigations, best practices
for citizen security, and the protection of human rights.
(J) Improving community and law enforcement cooperation to
improve effectiveness and professionalism of police and
increase mutual trust.
(K) Increasing economic opportunities for at-risk youth and
vulnerable populations, including workforce development
training and remedial education programs for at-risk youth.
(L) Improving juvenile justice sectors through regulatory
reforms, separating youth from traditional prison systems,
and improving support and services in juvenile detention
centers.
(3) To prioritize efforts to combat corruption and include
anti-corruption components to programs, including by--
(A) strengthening national justice systems and attorneys
general and supporting independent media and investigative
reporting;
(B) supporting multilateral anti-corruption mechanisms; and
(C) encouraging cooperative agreements between the
Department of State, other relevant Federal departments and
agencies, and the attorneys general of relevant countries to
fight corruption in the Caribbean.
(4) To promote the rule of law in the Caribbean and counter
malign influence from authoritarian regimes, including China
and Russia, by:
(A) Monitoring security assistance from authoritarian
regimes and taking steps necessary to ensure that this
assistance does not undermine or jeopardize U.S. security
assistance.
(B) Evaluating and, as appropriate, restricting United
States involvement in investment and infrastructure projects
financed by authoritarian regimes that might obstruct or
otherwise impact United States security assistance to
beneficiary countries.
(C) Monitoring and restricting equipment and support from
high risk vendors for telecommunications infrastructure in
beneficiary countries.
(D) Countering disinformation by promoting transparency and
accountability from beneficiary countries.
(E) Eliminating corruption linked to investment and
infrastructure facilitated by authoritarian regimes through
support for investment screening, competitive tendering and
bidding processes, the implementation of investment law, and
contractual transparency.
(5) To promote strategic engagement with the governments of
beneficiary countries through effective branding and
messaging of United States assistance and security
cooperation, including by developing a public diplomacy
strategy for educating citizens of beneficiary countries
about United States assistance and security cooperation
programs and benefits.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY TO IMPROVE DISASTER RESILIENCE.
(a) Prioritization.--During the 5-year period beginning on
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State
shall, in consultation with the Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development and the President
and Chief Executive Officer of the Inter-American Foundation,
prioritize efforts to increase disaster response and
resilience by carrying out programs in beneficiary countries
for the following purposes:
(1) Encouraging coordination between beneficiary countries
and relevant Federal departments and agencies to provide
expertise and information sharing.
(2) Supporting sharing of best practices on disaster
resilience including constructing resilient infrastructure
and rebuilding after natural disasters.
(3) Improving rapid-response mechanisms and cross-
government organizational preparedness for natural disasters.
(b) Strategy.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development and in consultation with
the President and Chief Economic Officer of the Inter-
American Foundation, submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a strategy that incorporates specific, measurable
benchmarks to achieve the purposes described in subsection
(a) and to inform citizens of beneficiary countries about the
extent and benefits of United States assistance to such
countries. In developing such strategy, the Secretary of
State shall also consult with nongovernmental organizations
in beneficiary countries and in the United States.
(c) Annual Progress Update.--The Secretary, in coordination
with the Administrator, shall annually submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a written description of
the progress made as of the date of such submission in
meeting the benchmarks included in the strategy submitted
pursuant to subsection (b).
[[Page H4544]]
SEC. 4. MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees an implementation plan that includes a timeline
and stated objectives for actions to be taken with respect to
the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. The plan shall also
include the following elements:
(1) A multi-year strategy with a timeline, overview of
objectives, and anticipated outcomes for the region and for
each beneficiary country, with respect to each program area
described in section 2.
(2) Specific, measurable benchmarks to track the progress
of the Initiative towards accomplishing the outcomes
described pursuant to paragraph (1).
(3) A plan for the delineation of the roles to be carried
out by the Department of State, the United States Agency for
International Development, the Department of Justice, the
Department of Defense, and any other Federal department or
agency in carrying out the Initiative, to prevent overlap and
unintended competition between activities and resources.
(4) A plan to coordinate and track all activities carried
out under the Initiative between all relevant Federal
departments and agencies, in accordance with the publication
requirements described in section 4 of the Foreign Aid
Transparency and Accountability Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-
191; 22 U.S.C. 2394c).
(5) The results achieved during the previous year--
(A) of monitoring and evaluation measures to track the
progress of the Initiative in accomplishing the benchmarks
included pursuant to paragraph (2); and
(B) of the implementation of the strategy and plans
described in paragraphs (1), (3), and (4).
(6) A description of the process for co-locating Caribbean
Basin Security Initiative projects funded by the United
States Agency for International Development and the Bureau of
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the
Department of State, to ensure that crime prevention funding
and enforcement funding are used in the same localities as
necessary.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate.
(2) Beneficiary countries.--The term ``beneficiary
countries'' means the beneficiary countries of the Caribbean
Basin Security Initiative.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Meuser) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 4133.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4133, the Caribbean
Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act of 2022.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Espaillat, for
drafting this important measure.
CBSI has been essential in helping our partners in the Caribbean
improve their capacity to combat transnational crime, violence, and
regional instability while also enhancing our own security and
strengthening our critical partnerships in the region.
By supporting a multiyear authorization, we can effectively assist
our Caribbean partners in citizen safety, security, and the rule of law
in the Caribbean Basin; reducing corruption and the malign influence of
authoritarian regimes like Xi Jinping's China and Vladimir Putin's
Russia; and strengthening the ability of countries in the region to
prepare for and respond to natural disasters.
According to a status report from the State Department's U.S.
Strategy for Engagement in the Caribbean released in July of 2019 is
says: ``Rising crime and endemic corruption threaten governments'
ability to provide security and good governance'' in many of the
nations in the region.
With ongoing efforts to mitigate transnational organized crime in
Central America and Mexico, the drug trade and in other illegal
activities likely will move further into the Caribbean, particularly as
the regional economic outlook deteriorates due to the continuing
economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Given the tragic impacts of the recent hurricane season in the
Caribbean and trends pointing toward more frequent and intense natural
disasters, this renewed support for CBSI can also help make it possible
for our friends in the region to become more climate resilient by
building robust rapid-response mechanisms and resilient infrastructure
responses throughout the region.
The support from CBSI can help to avoid a climate of fear and
uncertainty among citizens that leads to diminished economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bill and urge my colleagues to do the
same, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, narcotics trafficking and illicit money from the
Caribbean is fueling America's drug crisis and is destabilizing the
Western Hemisphere. The same groups that traffic narcotics, weapons,
and humans also spread misery throughout the region and into the U.S.
homeland.
At the same time, malign actors like the Chinese Communist Party
spread their web of influence in the region. This problem is especially
troubling since the Caribbean is home to a large concentration of
Taiwan's diplomatic allies.
As evidenced by Nicaragua's recent decision to sever long-standing
ties with Taiwan, the CCP is employing a range of tools to advance its
malign agenda in the Caribbean and throughout Latin America.
Congress must remain committed to working with our allies to address
shared security threats, cooperating on regional challenges, and
promoting democratic governance. That is why I am supporting the
Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act.
As the CCP exerts its malign influence and drugs flow into the United
States, now is the time to work with our allies in the region to ensure
our national security interests are protected.
This legislation will expand our Caribbean partners' ability to
surveil illicit actors in the water and in the air, improve local law
enforcement's ability to intercept narcotics trafficking, strengthen
local criminal justice institutions, and support natural disaster
response efforts.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Espaillat), my good friend and author of this
legislation.
Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for
this opportunity to speak about H.R. 4133, the Caribbean Basin Security
Initiative.
For more than 10 years, Mr. Speaker, Congress has supported funding
CBSI, appropriating during that time $831 million, and supporting 13
Caribbean nations.
H.R. 4133, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act
will authorize appropriations of $75 million each year from 2022 to
2026. It also requires the Department of State to develop a strategy to
improve disaster resilience in the Caribbean--and to report progress
made under the initiative.
We all know how the Caribbean stands in the pathway of hurricanes and
other natural disasters. As such, they must really improve disaster
resiliency in those island nations. CBSI supports our allies in the
Caribbean by promoting citizen safety, citizen security, and adhering
to the rule of law. It also reduces trafficking in narcotics. It will
help us interdict narcotics in the Caribbean region, which is the third
border of our country.
It also reduces corruption and the malign influence of foreign
adversaries in the region. We all know how foreign adversaries are
looking to ill-invest in that region and circumvent, in many cases,
transparency measures. It strengthens the ability to respond, as I said
earlier, Mr. Speaker, to natural disasters. It is so important.
[[Page H4545]]
These island nations are in jeopardy. They are in serious trouble
with hurricanes and rising sea levels and other natural disasters. You
better than anybody, Mr. Speaker, know about this. This Caribbean Basin
Security Initiative would also provide funding for that.
By empowering our neighbors in the Caribbean, we will in turn bolster
the national security of the United States. Our allies in the Caribbean
are facing many, many challenges brought about by the COVID-19
pandemic, strained global supply chains, and increased energy costs.
That seems to be a common problem in island nations: increased energy
costs. As such, they are really up for grabs by some of our adversaries
who often take advantage in a crisis. We must do more to really help
out our neighbors, our allies in that region.
We must continue funding for CBSI. It is critical to help Caribbean
nations strengthen their economies, and in turn, strengthen our very
own.
It is especially important that we continue our engagement in the
Caribbean as our foreign adversaries attempt to spread their influence
throughout the region. A safe and prosperous Caribbean region is in the
United States' national security interests.
As we prepare to host the ninth Summit of the Americas in California
in June, I urge my colleagues to support CBSI and reaffirm our
commitment to enhancing U.S.-Caribbean relations.
Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. and our partners must seriously
confront the growing threat posed by the CCP in the Caribbean and
beyond.
As the situation at our border gets worse, deadly drugs like fentanyl
are surging across our southern border from illicit actors in Latin
America. We must address the issue immediately. We cannot ignore the
Caribbean, America's third border.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Sires, Mr. Green,
and Mr. Connolly for leading this measure. I urge my colleagues to join
us in supporting this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for his leadership and
bipartisanship on this important bill. I really can't add to the
eloquence of our friend and colleague from New York (Mr. Espaillat).
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important and
critical piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4133.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. FULCHER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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