[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 123 (Thursday, July 17, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4464-S4465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2912. 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 appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. 12__. REPORT ON INCREASED COAST GUARD PRESENCE AND 
                   OPERATIONS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION.

       (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in 
     consultation with the Commandant of the Coast Guard, the 
     Coast Guard Commander for the Pacific Area, the Commander of 
     the United States Indo-Pacific Command, and the Under 
     Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, shall submit 
     to Congress a report outlining the benefits, with respect to 
     United States defense and security objectives in the Indo-
     Pacific region, of increased Coast Guard operations in the 
     Western Pacific region.
       (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall 
     include the following:
       (1) An assessment of the risks--
       (A) to United States defense and security interests posed 
     by not fully using the range of Coast Guard maritime 
     capabilities, vessels, exercises, and engagements in the 
     Indo-Pacific region, given increased maritime activities, 
     including partner engagement, by the People's Republic of 
     China;
       (B) to Department of Defense operations posed by the United 
     States Coast Guard not fully staffing and equipping Coast 
     Guard operations in the Western Pacific region; and
       (C) to United States strategic maritime interests in 
     general, including to bilateral maritime partners of the 
     United States, posed by not fully staffing and equipping 
     Coast Guard operations in the Western Pacific region.
       (2) An assessment of the opportunity costs of--
       (A) using other service capabilities within the Department 
     of Defense to address challenges and threats in the Indo-
     Pacific region

[[Page S4465]]

     typically addressed by the Coast Guard, including fentanyl 
     and other illicit drug trafficking; and
       (B) not expanding Coast Guard presence and cooperation in 
     Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands, with a 
     focus on advising, training, deployment, and capacity 
     building.
       (3) An assessment of the associated needs of the Department 
     of Defense to fully achieve regional defense and security 
     objectives if the Coast Guard were not to significantly 
     expand its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
                                 ______