[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 24, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3108. Mr. CARDIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 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 F of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1291. INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSACTION AND ASSISTANCE NETWORK.

       (a) Authority.--There is established an initiative, to be 
     known as the ``Infrastructure Transaction and Assistance 
     Network'', under which the Secretary of State, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development and the heads of other 
     relevant Federal agencies, as appropriate, shall carry out 
     programs to advance the development of sustainable, 
     transparent, and quality infrastructure globally in countries 
     that are eligible for foreign assistance, by--
       (1) strengthening the capacities of United States allies 
     and partners to improve infrastructure project evaluation 
     processes, regulatory and procurement environments, and 
     infrastructure project preparation;
       (2) providing transaction advisory services and project 
     preparation assistance to support sustainable infrastructure; 
     and
       (3) coordinating the provision of United States assistance 
     for the development of infrastructure, including 
     infrastructure that utilizes United States-manufactured goods 
     and services, and catalyzing investment led by the private 
     sector.
       (b) Transaction Advisory Fund.--As part of the 
     Infrastructure Transaction and Assistance Network described 
     under subsection (a), the Secretary of State, in coordination 
     with the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
     International Development, and in consultation, as 
     appropriate, with other Federal departments and agencies, 
     shall provide support, including through the Transaction 
     Advisory Fund, for advisory services to help boost the 
     capacity of partner countries globally to evaluate contracts 
     in line with international standards, including through 
     providing services such as--
       (1) legal services, including with the objectives of--
       (A) minimizing opportunities for corrupt practices; and
       (B) ensuring agreements are transparent, clear, and 
     enforceable;
       (2) project preparation and feasibility studies;
       (3) debt sustainability analyses;
       (4) bid or proposal evaluation; and
       (5) other services relevant to advancing the development of 
     sustainable, transparent, and quality infrastructure.
       (c) Indo-Pacific Strategic Infrastructure Fund.--
       (1) In general.--As part of the ``Infrastructure 
     Transaction and Assistance Network'' described under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary of State is authorized to 
     provide support, including through the Indo-Pacific Strategic 
     Infrastructure Fund, for technical assistance, project 
     preparation, development, and execution, and other 
     infrastructure project support in the countries of the Indo-
     Pacific region.
       (2) Joint infrastructure projects.--Funds authorized for 
     the Indo-Pacific Strategic Infrastructure Fund should be used 
     in coordination with the Department of Defense, the 
     International Development Finance Corporation, the Export-
     Import Bank of the United States, the United States Trade and 
     Development Agency, like-minded donor partners, and 
     multilateral banks, as appropriate, to support joint 
     infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific region.
       (3) Strategic infrastructure projects.--Funds authorized 
     for the Indo-Pacific Strategic Infrastructure Fund should be 
     used to support strategic infrastructure projects.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated, for each of fiscal years 2025 through 
     2029, $50,000,000 for the Transaction Advisory Fund and 
     $100,000,000 for the Indo-Pacific Strategic Infrastructure 
     Fund.
       (e) Strategic Infrastructure Defined.--In this section, the 
     term ``strategic infrastructure'' means infrastructure where 
     a primary driver of United States national interest in such 
     infrastructure is--
       (1) to advance United States national security or economic 
     security interest or those of the country in which the 
     infrastructure is located; or
       (2) to deny the People's Republic of China of ownership or 
     control over such infrastructure.
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