[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3102-S3103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 5958. Mr. KAINE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2027 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 A of title XII, add the following:
SEC. 1210. IMPROVING THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the
``Strengthening the Rule of Law in the Brazilian Amazon
Act''.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Crimes.--The term ``crimes'' means--
(A) any crime related or contributing to the illegal
fishing and wildlife trade, illicit mining, or illegal
logging and land-clearing in the Brazilian Amazon; and
(B) associated corruption, financial crimes, and violent
crimes.
(2) Environmental degradation.--The term ``environmental
degradation'' means physical damage to land, water, or
wildlife resources that results from crimes described in
paragraph (1).
(3) International financial institutions.--The term
``international financial institutions'' means--
(A) the World Bank Group;
(B) the Inter-American Development Bank Group; and
(C) the International Monetary Fund.
(4) Relevant federal agencies.--The term ``relevant Federal
agencies'' means--
(A) the Department of State; and
(B) other Federal departments and agencies the President
has designated as having significant domestic or foreign
affairs equities in identifying investment opportunities in
the Brazilian Amazon and combating criminal elements in the
Brazilian Amazon.
(c) Identifying Investment Opportunities in the Brazilian
Amazon.--
(1) Business development.--The Chief Executive Officer of
the United States International Development Finance
Corporation should consider placing a staff member in Brazil
with duties that include--
(A) identifying and implementing more viable economic
opportunities in the Brazilian Amazon; and
(B) identifying possible investment risks and mitigation
measures related to operations and actors that contribute to
criminal activity in the Brazilian Amazon.
(2) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Officer of the
United States International Development Finance Corporation
shall submit a report to Congress that describes--
(A) the opportunities identified pursuant to paragraph
(1)(A); and
(B) the most significant barriers to greater investment in
sustainable and viable economic opportunities in the
Brazilian Amazon.
(d) Combating Criminal Elements Operating in the Brazilian
Amazon.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State may direct the
Assistant Secretary of State
[[Page S3103]]
for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, in
coordination with relevant Federal agencies and the United
States mission in Brazil, to support Brazil's efforts to
identify and disrupt the complex and transnational criminal
networks contributing to the destruction of communities and
deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon by providing capacity
building and technical assistance, including--
(A) information sharing, training, and capacity-building
for Brazilian agencies, including through United States
Government agencies;
(B) collaborating on tracing funds generated from crimes;
(C) supporting investigations of crimes that are associated
with deforestation, environmental degradation, money
laundering, asset laundering, or corruption offenses;
(D) assisting with the identification of the proceeds of
such crimes to help facilitate asset recovery; and
(E) providing appropriate United States assistance to
funding mechanisms consistent with the goals of this section.
(2) Community assistance.--The Secretary of State, in
consultation with relevant Federal agencies, should provide
financial and technical assistance to help prevent crimes by
promoting--
(A) lawful livelihoods in the Brazilian Amazon;
(B) the economic, social, and political advancement of
local communities, including internationally recognized human
rights in Afro-descendent and indigenous communities;
(C) economic activities and natural resource management,
including mining, agriculture, and forest-based activities;
and
(D) the management of protected areas, including indigenous
territories, buffer zones, water resources, terrestrial and
aquatic habitats of species deemed to be threatened by
extinction, and other spaces vulnerable to conversion and
deforestation.
(3) Annual report.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for the
following 5 years, the Secretary of State, in coordination
with relevant Federal agencies and nongovernmental
organizations, shall submit a report to Congress that
describes the progress made in carrying out paragraphs (1)
and (2).
(e) Report on Certain Drivers of Deforestation and
Environmental Degradation in the Brazilian Amazon.--Not later
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of State, in coordination with relevant Federal
agencies, shall submit a report to Congress regarding certain
drivers of deforestation and environmental degradation in the
Brazilian Amazon that includes--
(1) a description of the agricultural commodities, illegal
timber, minerals, and wildlife entering the United States
market that are contributing to deforestation and
environmental degradation of the Brazilian Amazon;
(2) a description of the role of the People's Republic of
China's in facilitating illicit resource extraction and
environmental degradation, including deforestation, in the
Brazilian Amazon;
(3) the funding levels and efficacy of United States
foreign assistance programs in identifying and disrupting the
criminal elements operating in the Brazilian Amazon; and
(4) an assessment of the Government of Brazil's
contributions to countering criminal elements operating in
the Brazilian Amazon.
(f) International Cooperation.--The Secretary of the
Treasury should direct the United States executive director
to each international financial institution, in consultation
with relevant Federal agencies, to use the voice, vote, and
influence of the United States--
(1) to prioritize promoting broad-based development in the
Brazilian Amazon; and
(2) to oppose any loans or programs at any such institution
that would facilitate or exacerbate deforestation and
environmental degradation in the Brazilian Amazon.
______