[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2873-S2874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 775. Mr. VAN HOLLEN 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 appropriate place in title XII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 12__. US-ASEAN CENTER.

       (a) Defined Term.--In this section, the term ``ASEAN'' 
     means the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
       (b) Establishment.--The Secretary is authorized to enter 
     into a public-private partnership for the purposes of 
     establishing a US-ASEAN Center in the United States to 
     support United States economic and cultural engagement with 
     Southeast Asia.
       (c) Functions.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     the US-ASEAN Center established pursuant to subsection (b) 
     may--
       (1) provide grants for research to support and elevate the 
     importance of the US-ASEAN partnership;
       (2) facilitate activities to strengthen US-ASEAN trade and 
     investment;
       (3) expand economic and technological relationships between 
     ASEAN countries and the United States into new areas of 
     cooperation;
       (4) provide training to United States citizens and citizens 
     of ASEAN countries that improve people-to-people ties;
       (5) develop educational programs to increase awareness for 
     the United States and

[[Page S2874]]

     ASEAN countries on the importance of relations between the 
     United States and ASEAN countries; and
       (6) carry out other activities the Secretary considers 
     necessary to strengthen ties between the United States and 
     ASEAN countries and achieve the objectives of the US-ASEAN 
     Center.
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