[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 24, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3156. Mr. SCHATZ 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 D of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1266. PACIFIC ISLANDS RESTORATION AND HAZARDS REMOVAL 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall establish an 
     Pacific Islands Restoration and Hazards Removal Program (in 
     this section referred to as the ``Program'').
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Program is--
       (1) to coordinate with the Pacific Island countries--
       (A) to support survey and clearance operations of buried 
     and abandoned bombs, mortars, artillery shells, and 
     unexploded ordnance from battlefields of World War II; and
       (B) to identify, isolate, and, where appropriate, mitigate 
     environmental risks associated with submerged maritime 
     vessels that pose a threat to public health or marine 
     resources because of the presence of oil, fuel, corrosive 
     metals, or other toxins; and
       (2) to build the national capacity of the Pacific Island 
     countries to identify, isolate, and mitigate risks related to 
     explosive ordnance hazards, submerged maritime vessels, or 
     related hazardous marine debris through survey and disposal 
     training, funding to nongovernmental organizations, and 
     support to regional cooperation initiatives with countries 
     that are partners and allies of the United States, including 
     Australia, France, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, 
     and the United Kingdom.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of State $1,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to carry out this 
     section.
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