[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 123 (Thursday, July 17, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S4464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2911. Mr. SCHATZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2026 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. 12__. INDO-PACIFIC MARITIME SECURITY INITIATIVE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
     of Homeland Security shall cooperate to develop and carry out 
     a program to strengthen maritime security partnerships in the 
     Indo-Pacific region using assets of the Department of Defense 
     and the Department of Homeland Security.
       (b) Goals.--The goals of the program under paragraph (1) 
     shall be, to the extent practicable--
       (1) to enhance interoperability between--
       (A) Coast Guard and Navy personnel; and
       (B) the maritime forces of allied and partner countries in 
     the Indo-Pacific region;
       (2) to strengthen Coast Guard, and, as appropriate, Navy, 
     participation in, and coordination with, organizations in the 
     Indo-Pacific region dedicated to coordination and cooperation 
     in support of fisheries policies, ocean conservation, 
     maritime security, and related initiatives;
       (3) to strengthen maritime domain awareness, enforcement of 
     exclusive economic zones, marine environment protection, 
     activities to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated 
     fishing, and disaster preparedness and resilience;
       (4) to mature logistics delivery among countries in the 
     Indo-Pacific region to enhance the ability of the Department 
     of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to supply 
     remote areas after extreme weather events and other major 
     natural disasters;
       (5) to increase the presence of Coast Guard personnel and 
     capabilities to support law enforcement, maritime protection, 
     and capacity-building initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region; 
     and
       (6) to conduct research and development in, and, as 
     practicable, deploy technologies or related capabilities to, 
     countries in the Indo-Pacific region that will--
       (A) improve maritime domain awareness and the ability to 
     monitor fisheries and other marine resources; and
       (B) strengthen disaster warning and response.
       (c) Strategy.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security shall jointly submit to 
     Congress a strategy that includes the following:
       (1) A review of ongoing United States efforts to promote 
     maritime security, environmental protection, and disaster 
     resilience and preparedness in the Indo-Pacific region.
       (2) An assessment of the feasibility and advisability of--
       (A) routine ports of call by the Navy and the Coast Guard 
     at ports in countries in the Indo-Pacific region;
       (B) expanding shiprider agreements between the United 
     States and countries in the Indo-Pacific region; and
       (C) developing joint and multinational exercises focused on 
     improving combined response and logistics delivery in support 
     of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
       (3) An assessment of ways in which the presence of Coast 
     Guard cutters and personnel in the Indo-Pacific region may be 
     increased to support law enforcement, maritime security, 
     disaster response, and related goals, which assessment shall 
     include--
       (A) a review of challenges related to the deployment of 
     medium-range and long-range cutters, including personnel and 
     logistical requirements;
       (B) a review of budgetary constraints that would limit the 
     deployment of additional Coast Guard cutters and resources to 
     the Indo-Pacific region; and
       (C) any other consideration the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security, in coordination with the Commandant of the Coast 
     Guard, considers appropriate.
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