[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2739]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 644. Mr. MANCHIN (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, and Ms. Hirono) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 
2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 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:

       At the end of subtitle D of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 12___. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE RENEWAL OF THE COMPACTS 
                   OF FREE ASSOCIATION WITH THE REPUBLIC OF PALAU, 
                   THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, AND THE 
                   REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) in 1947, the United Nations entrusted the United States 
     with the defense and security of the region that now 
     comprises--
       (A) the Republic of Palau;
       (B) the Federated States of Micronesia; and
       (C) the Republic of the Marshall Islands;
       (2) in 1983, the United States signed Compacts of Free 
     Association with the Federated States of Micronesia and the 
     Republic of the Marshall Islands;
       (3) in 1985, the United States signed a Compact of Free 
     Association with the Republic of Palau;
       (4) in 1986, Congress--
       (A) enacted the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985 (48 
     U.S.C. 1901 note; Public Law 99-239), which approved the 
     Compacts of Free Association with the Federated States of 
     Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands; and
       (B) enacted Public Law 99-658 (48 U.S.C. 1931 note), which 
     approved the Compact of Free Association with the Republic of 
     Palau;
       (5) in 2003, Congress enacted the Compact of Free 
     Association Amendments Act of 2003 (48 U.S.C. 1921 note; 
     Public Law 108-188), which approved and renewed the Compacts 
     of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia 
     and the Republic of the Marshall Islands;
       (6) in 2010, the United States and the Republic of Palau 
     agreed to terms for renewing the Compact of Free Association 
     with the Republic of Palau in the Palau Compact Review 
     Agreement, which was approved by Congress in section 1259C of 
     the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 
     (48 U.S.C. 1931 note; Public Law 115-91);
       (7) on January 11, 2023, the United States signed a 
     Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of the Marshall 
     Islands on funding priorities for the Compact of Free 
     Association with the Republic of the Marshall Islands;
       (8) on May 22, 2023, the United States signed the U.S.-
     Palau 2023 Agreement, following the Compact of Free 
     Association Section 432 Review;
       (9) on May 23, 2023, the United States signed 3 agreements 
     relating to the U.S.-FSM Compact of Free Association, which 
     included--
       (A) an Agreement to Amend the Compact, as amended;
       (B) a new fiscal procedures agreement; and
       (C) a new trust fund agreement; and
       (10) the United States is undergoing negotiations relating 
     to the Compact of Free Association with the Republic of the 
     Marshall Islands.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     Congress--
       (1) acknowledges that the close and strategic partnerships 
     of the United States with the Republic of Palau, the 
     Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the 
     Marshall Islands is vital to international peace and security 
     in the Indo-Pacific region;
       (2) supports the Compacts of Free Association with the 
     Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and 
     the Republic of the Marshall Islands, since the Compacts of 
     Free Association form the political, economic, and security 
     architecture that bolsters and sustains security and drives 
     regional development and the prosperity of the larger Indo-
     Pacific community of nations;
       (3) recognizes that--
       (A) certain provisions of the current Compacts of Free 
     Association with the Federated States of Micronesia and the 
     Republic of the Marshall Islands expire on September 30, 
     2023; and
       (B) certain provisions of the Compact of Free Association 
     with the Republic of Palau expire on September 30, 2024;
       (4) affirms that it is in the national interest of the 
     United States to successfully renegotiate and renew the 
     Compacts of Free Association with the Republic of Palau, the 
     Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the 
     Marshall Islands; and
       (5) understands that legislation must be enacted to approve 
     amended Compacts of Free Association with the Republic of 
     Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic 
     of the Marshall Islands.
                                 ______