[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 24, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3115. 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. STRATEGIC PORTS INITIATIVE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in consultation 
     with the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
     International Development, the Chief Executive Officer of 
     United States International Development Finance Corporation, 
     the Trade and Development Agency, and other relevant Federal 
     departments and agencies, as appropriate, shall carry out a 
     program entitled the ``Strategic Ports Initiative'' for the 
     following purposes:
       (1) To provide training and technical assistance to partner 
     country officials and institutions, and others, as 
     appropriate, responsible for building, managing, and securing 
     seaports, airports, and related infrastructure abroad.
       (2) To identify ports and airports vulnerable to ownership 
     or other forms of control by strategic competitors, including 
     the PRC, and make recommendations for United States 
     Government action.
       (3) To contribute to United States Government diplomatic 
     engagements and other efforts with partner countries and 
     economies, and relevant and trusted private sector entities 
     with respect to ownership or control of seaports and airports 
     by strategic competitors, including the PRC.
       (4) To generate priority countries and projects for United 
     States assistance and investment, including through 
     coordination with the Infrastructure Coordination Task Force 
     established pursuant to section 161.
       (5) To ensure that all Department of State initiatives, 
     activities, and funding related to seaports and airports 
     align with the national security interests of the United 
     States and account for the vulnerabilities, technical 
     constraints, and other national security implications of 
     seaport and airport infrastructure to construction, 
     ownership, operation, or other forms of direct and indirect 
     control by strategic competitors, including the PRC.
       (6) To ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that 
     projects supported by the United States use local labor and 
     professional capacities, in contrast to infrastructure 
     projects carried out by the PRC.
       (7) To assist in identifying and promoting alternatives for 
     port logistics data management systems currently offered by 
     strategic competitors, including the PRC.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated, for each of fiscal years 2025 through 
     2029, $6,000,000 to carry out the purposes of the Strategic 
     Ports Initiative.
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