[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 119 (Thursday, July 10, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E656]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  INTRODUCTION OF THE BLUE PACIFIC ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. ED CASE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2025

  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my Boosting Long-
Term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific (BLUE Pacific) Act, cosponsored by 
14 of my colleagues.
  Scattered across the three traditional Pacific subregions of 
Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia are over two dozen jurisdictions 
collectively known as the Pacific Islands, including twelve independent 
states, countries in free association and territories. Though small in 
land area and population, the land plus maritime exclusive economic 
zones of all these jurisdictions combined exceed the land areas of 
China and Russia combined, comprising a significant part of the vast 
Pacific Ocean and our Earth's surface.
  In 2019, a number of us came together to create the Congressional 
Pacific Islands Caucus, the first such group of Members of Congress 
dedicated to this dynamic and diverse part of the world. We believe 
that the Pacific Islands region remains critical to our national 
security interests in the Indo-Pacific which advises greater U.S. 
engagement with this region to advance our shared interests and values, 
particularly in the context of growing geopolitical competition and 
threats by our shared adversaries to endanger the pursuit of a free and 
open Indo-Pacific.
  Over the last three Congresses, we have introduced versions of the 
BLUE Pacific Act, which would advance a comprehensive, long-term U.S. 
strategy in the Pacific Islands region. Much of the previous versions 
of the BLUE Pacific Act has been enacted or implemented as a result of 
our efforts in previous Congresses, but key provisions remain and are 
included in this version, in addition to provisions from other 
bipartisan U.S.-Pacific Islands bills introduced in the 118th Congress, 
including the Pacific Partnership Act and the Engage the Pacific Act. 
It also adds provisions that incorporate various developments in the 
Pacific Islands over the last few years, including goals and needs 
articulated by the Pacific Islands themselves that are in line with 
U.S. interests.
  The current version of the BLUE Pacific Act expands U.S. diplomatic 
and development presence in the Pacific Islands by recommending that 
the administration increase the number of staff working on Pacific 
Islands issues and in the region, authorizing the Secretaries of State 
and Commerce to hire locally employed staff in the region, establishing 
a workforce development program, codifying a media program and more.
  It increases U.S. security assistance to address regional maritime 
security, transnational crime and law enforcement issues by authorizing 
the Secretary of State to provide assistance to build the capacity of 
civilian and national security institutions in the region and expanding 
existing reports on transnational crime on the Pacific Islands.
  The bill deepens bilateral and multilateral trade between the U.S. 
and the Pacific Islands by authorizing a trade capacity building 
initiative, authorizing the U.S. Trade Representative to work to expand 
and diversify trade and directing the Secretary of Commerce to allocate 
additionally Foreign Commercial Service Officers to the region.
  Further, the BLUE Pacific Act supports regional economic and social 
development by providing assistance in multiple sectors such as public 
health, education, infrastructure, environmental resilience, digital 
connectivity, disaster mitigation and more.
  Finally, the bill promotes shared values like freedom of the press, 
gender equality and freedom of religion, including by establishing an 
interagency committee on engagement with civil society organizations in 
the Pacific Islands and authorizing the President to provide assistance 
to promote freedom of the press.
  These initiatives support the significant strides we have made in 
recent years towards fully reengaging the Pacific Islands region across 
a range of common values and interests and in response to specific 
Pacific Islands' needs. The United States must make clear to the region 
that we are a partner they can trust and rely upon in the long term.
  For these reasons, I ask that you support our bill. Mahalo.

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