Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 143 (Tuesday, September 2, 2025)

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 2, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H3734-H3736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

PROVIDING APPROPRIATE RECOGNITION AND TREATMENT NEEDED TO ENHANCE
RELATIONS ACT

Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 4490) to amend the International Organizations
Immunities Act to extend diplomatic privileges and immunities to
certain additional international and regional organizations, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 4490

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

This Act may be cited as the ``Providing Appropriate
Recognition and Treatment Needed to Enhance Relations Act''
or the ``PARTNER Act''.

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Extension of privileges and immunities to the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations.
Sec. 3. Extension of privileges and immunities to the European
Organization For Nuclear Research (CERN).
Sec. 4. Extension of privileges and immunities to the Pacific Islands
Forum.
Sec. 5. Extension of privileges and immunities to the Caribbean
Community.
Sec. 6. Extension of certain privileges and immunities to the African
Union.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS.

The International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C.
288 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following
new section:

``SEC. 18. EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS.

``Under such terms and conditions as the President shall
determine, the President is authorized to extend the
provisions of this title to the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations in the same manner, to the same extent, and
subject to the same conditions, as

[[Page H3735]]

it may be extended to a public international organization in
which the United States participates pursuant to any treaty
or under the authority of any Act of Congress authorizing
such participation or making an appropriation for such
participation.''.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE
EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH
(CERN).

The International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C.
288 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following
new section:

``SEC. 19. EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE
EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH
(CERN).

``Under such terms and conditions as the President shall
determine, the President is authorized to extend the
provisions of this title to the European Organization for
Nuclear Research (CERN) in the same manner, to the same
extent, and subject to the same conditions, as it may be
extended to a public international organization in which the
United States participates pursuant to any treaty or under
the authority of any Act of Congress authorizing such
participation or making an appropriation for such
participation.''.

SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE PACIFIC
ISLANDS FORUM.

The International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C.
288 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following
new section:

``SEC. 20. EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE
PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM.

``Under such terms and conditions as the President shall
determine, the President is authorized to extend the
provisions of this title to the Pacific Islands Forum in the
same manner, to the same extent, and subject to the same
conditions, as it may be extended to a public international
organization in which the United States participates pursuant
to any treaty or under the authority of any Act of Congress
authorizing such participation or making an appropriation for
such participation.''.

SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY.

The International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C.
288 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following
new section:

``SEC. 21. EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY.

``Under such terms and conditions as the President shall
determine, the President is authorized to extend the
provisions of this title to the Caribbean Community in the
same manner, to the same extent, and subject to the same
conditions, as it may be extended to a public international
organization in which the United States participates pursuant
to any treaty or under the authority of any Act of Congress
authorizing such participation or making an appropriation for
such participation.''.

SEC. 6. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE
AFRICAN UNION.

Section 12(b) of the International Organizations Immunities
Act (22 U.S.C. 288f-2(b)) is amended:
(1) by striking ``to extend, or enter into an agreement to
extend, to the African Union Mission'' and inserting ``to
extend, or enter into an agreement to extend--'';
``(1) to the African Union Mission'';
(2) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``;
and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) to the permanent observer mission of the African
Union to the United Nations in New York, and to its members,
the privileges and immunities enjoyed by the permanent
missions to the United Nations of member states, and their
members, subject to corresponding conditions and
obligations.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Baumgartner) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.

General Leave

Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the PARTNER Act, a
forward-looking measure that strengthens America's ties with the
international organizations shaping the global order at a moment when
international competition is sharper than ever.
This legislation gives our Nation the ability to fully engage with
influential regional and international bodies such as the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations, the European Organization for Nuclear
Research, the Pacific Islands Forum, the Caribbean Community, and the
African Union by extending to them the same diplomatic privileges
afforded under the International Organizations Immunities Act.
In doing so, we signal not only respect for their importance but also
our determination to work alongside them as equal partners in tackling
shared challenges.
From advancing security and prosperity to fostering innovation and
confronting global health threats, these organizations are central to
addressing pressing issues that do not stop at our borders.
If the United States is to lead effectively in this century, we
cannot remain on the sidelines. We must be present in the rooms where
decisions are being made, ready to cooperate and ready to lead. This
bill ensures our diplomats and institutions are equipped to do exactly
that.
I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting the PARTNER Act
and reaffirming America's commitment to principled and enduring
international leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the PARTNER Act. This
is a bipartisan bill, supported by colleagues on both sides of the
aisle, that strengthens American diplomacy, science, and leadership in
the world.
The PARTNER Act does something very simple but very important. It
extends basic legal protections, known as privileges and immunities, to
several key international organizations that the United States works
closely with but that, until now, have lacked the same recognition that
we give to other multilateral institutions.
Let me explain why this is very important.
These legal protections are not special favors. They are the standard
tools that allow international organizations to do their work
effectively and independently. They protect institutions from lawsuits,
taxation, or other interference that could disrupt their missions,
while still ensuring that individuals remain accountable for their own
private actions.
They are reciprocal. Just as American diplomats and officials enjoy
these protections when we serve in international organizations abroad,
we extend them to our partners here in the United States. It is the
basic infrastructure of diplomacy.
Why is this bill important right now?
First, our strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific. ASEAN, the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is central to U.S. engagement
in Asia. Recognizing its diplomatic status here in the United States
shows our commitment to the region's future and to working with our
Asian partners on equal footing.
Second, the Western Hemisphere, of which we are a part, is obviously
incredibly important to the United States. CARICOM, the Caribbean
Community, plays a crucial role in democratic governance, regional
security, and disaster preparedness. Extending privileges and
immunities supports CARICOM as a unified voice for the Caribbean and
strengthens U.S. ties to a region where influence should be felt
through real and consistent engagement.
Third, science and technology leadership. CERN, the European
Organization for Nuclear Research, is one of the world's premier
scientific organizations. It is partnering with United States
researchers on the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, a $3 billion
project based right here in United States. This is some of the most
important and cutting-edge physics research in the world that will,
hopefully, allow us to better understand the universe.
By extending privileges and immunities to CERN, we can speed up the
timeline for this groundbreaking work, control costs, and ensure that
American scientists remain at the forefront of the discovery.
Fourth, our Pacific and African partners. This bill authorizes the
President to extend protections to the Pacific Islands Forum, a vital
regional body in the South Pacific where small island nations are on
the front lines of climate change and facing significant diplomatic
overtures by China.
The bill fixes a gap in U.S. law by ensuring the African Union's
observer

[[Page H3736]]

mission to the United Nations in New York receives the same recognition
as the AU itself.
Taken together, these provisions make clear that the United States
values our partnerships and will invest in multilateral cooperation
that advances our interests and our American values.
Mr. Speaker, Congress has extended privileges and immunities before
to the European Union, to the African Union, and, of course, to the
United Nations and the Organization of American States. This bill
simply applies the same standard to other organizations that the United
States works with every single day.
At a time when our competitors are working overtime to expand their
influence in Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Africa we cannot
afford to sit back.
The PARTNER Act is a concrete step to strengthen U.S. leadership,
deepen our alliances, and keep America the center of global diplomacy
and science.
I thank all of my colleagues, Democrat and Republican, for their
leadership and for their work on this bill. This bill has broad
bipartisan support. It is good for American diplomacy, good for
American science, and good for American leadership in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the
PARTNER Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman
from California (Mrs. Kim).

{time} 1700

Mrs. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I thank
my colleague, Representative Baumgartner, for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4490, the PARTNER Act.
This bill represents a bold and necessary commitment to strengthening
America's engagement with our allies and partner organizations
worldwide by granting tailored immunities and privileges.
Of note is the inclusion of provisions from the PARTNER Act with the
ASEAN Act and the Pacific Partnership Act, which together elevate U.S.
cooperation with our Indo-Pacific allies.
The Indo-Pacific is home to over one-half of the world's population,
vital trade routes, and rapidly growing economies and markets. It is a
region that I hold as a key priority as chair of the East Asia and the
Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee due to its
significance to national security and economic prosperity.
Meanwhile, the region also faces significant challenges, including
rising geopolitical tensions, maritime disputes, and growing coercion
from bad actors seeking to undermine a rules-based order.
This bill is long overdue and sends a strong message that the United
States will stand shoulder to shoulder with our friends, including our
Indo-Pacific partners, from the Philippines to Palau, to promote a
free, open, and prosperous region.
This bill is not just about diplomatic immunities; it is about
American leadership on the global stage.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to co-lead this bill with Representative
Castro, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Foster).
Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Castro and
Representative Kim for their leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4490, the PARTNER Act. This
legislation represents an important step forward in our country's
ability to collaborate with our international partners. In particular,
this legislation contains the text of our Strengthening Science Through
Diplomacy Act which simplifies our scientific collaboration with CERN,
the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
As a physicist, I spent more than two decades working with colleagues
from around the globe at Fermilab in Illinois where international
scientific collaboration allowed us to better understand each other and
the universe that we are embedded in.
CERN already partners with several of our national laboratories,
including Argonne National Lab and Fermi National Lab in the 11th
District of Illinois that I represent.
In particular, this bill will allow for closer collaboration with
CERN on the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, also known as DUNE,
an international flagship experiment.
DUNE will help us to discover more about the nature of subatomic
particles known as neutrinos, which could help us understand
fundamental questions about the origins of matter and the beginnings of
the universe. It will also search for previously undetected modes of
proton decay, the subject for which I received my Ph.D. thesis many
moons ago.
This legislation will allow CERN to send its scientists who have been
working on the DUNE project to assist in person as these experiments
come online.
One of the most exciting things about the DUNE project is we don't
know what it will discover. When we built our proton decay detector
many moons ago, we did not know that 160,000 years ago a star blew up,
one supernova, in the greater Magellanic cloud, and for 160,000 years
the flash of light from that stellar explosion and the burst of
neutrinos traveled toward the Earth. It arrived in 1987 when the
astronomers saw the flash of light and we saw the burst of neutrinos in
our underground detector, so we learned an incredible thing about these
stellar explosions.
It is this sort of thing that brings you, me, and other young people
into science. I thank Ranking Member Castro, as well as Representative
Dusty Johnson of the great State of South Dakota, who worked with me
over the last few years to ensure the success of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan effort is an important step in
solidifying our partnership with CERN and maintaining our Nation's role
as a leader in scientific research.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. I have no more speakers, Mr. Speaker, and I continue
to reserve the balance of my time until the gentleman yields back his
time.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to
support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Representative
Castro and Representative Kim, for introducing this important bill. I
urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baumgartner) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4490, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to amend
the International Organizations Immunities Act to extend privileges and
immunities to certain additional international and regional
organizations, and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________