[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1263 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1263
To require a strategy for bolstering engagement and cooperation between
the United States, Australia, India, and Japan and to seek to establish
a Quad Inter-Parliamentary Working Group to facilitate closer
cooperation on shared interests and values.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 12, 2025
Mr. Meeks (for himself, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Bera, Mr. Huizenga, and Ms.
Kamlager-Dove) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a strategy for bolstering engagement and cooperation between
the United States, Australia, India, and Japan and to seek to establish
a Quad Inter-Parliamentary Working Group to facilitate closer
cooperation on shared interests and values.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening the Quad Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) as a Pacific power, the United States should continue
to strengthen joint cooperation between the United States,
Australia, India, and Japan (commonly referred to as the
``Quadrilateral Dialogue'' or ``Quad'' and referred to as such
in this Act) to enhance and implement a shared vision to meet
regional challenges and to promote a free, open, inclusive,
resilient, and healthy Indo-Pacific, that is characterized by
respect for democratic norms, rule of law, and market-driven
economic growth, and is free from undue influence and coercion;
(2) the United States should expand dialogue and
cooperation through the Quad with a range of partners to
support peace and prosperity, the rule of law, freedom of
navigation and overflight, the peaceful resolution of disputes,
and democratic resilience in the Indo-Pacific;
(3) the pledge from the first-ever Quad leaders meeting on
March 12, 2021, to address shared challenges, including in
public health, cyberspace, critical technologies,
counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment, and
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, as well as
maritime domains, laid the foundation for critical cooperation
among Quad countries;
(4) the Quad countries, working through institutions,
including the United States International Development Finance
Corporation, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and
the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and through
partnerships with multilateral development banks such as the
World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, should finance
development and infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific
region that are competitive, transparent, and sustainable;
(5) President Biden's decision to elevate the Quad to the
leader level was critical to bolstering cooperation, and all 4
countries should work to ensure that the Quad Leaders' Summit
continues to take place regularly;
(6) the ambitious framework for ongoing cooperation laid
out by the 4 leaders at the fifth convening of the Quad
Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on May 20, 2023, should continue;
(7) Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the Quad Foreign
Ministers in Washington, DC on January 21, 2025--his first day
in office--underscoring the continued importance of cooperation
between the 4 democracies; and
(8) the formation of a Quad Inter-Parliamentary Working
Group will--
(A) sustain and deepen engagement between senior
officials of the Quad countries on a full spectrum of
issues; and
(B) be modeled on the successful and long-standing
bilateral inter-parliamentary groups between the United
States and Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as
well as other formal and informal parliamentary
exchanges.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a strategy for bolstering
engagement and cooperation with the Quad.
(b) Matters To Be Included.--The strategy required by subsection
(a) shall include the following:
(1) A description of how the United States intends to
demonstrate democratic leadership in the Indo-Pacific through
quadrilateral engagement with Australia, India, and Japan on
shared interests and common challenges.
(2) A summary of--
(A) current and past Quad initiatives across the
whole of the United States Government, including to
promote broad based and inclusive economic growth and
investment, and to advance technology cooperation,
energy innovation, climate mitigation and adaptation,
physical and digital infrastructure development,
education, disaster management, resilient supply chains
including in critical minerals, and global health
security;
(B) proposals agreed to by all Quad countries since
January 2021 to deepen existing security cooperation,
intelligence sharing, economic partnerships, and
multilateral coordination; and
(C) initiatives and agreements undertaken jointly
with Quad countries, in addition to other like-minded
partners in the Indo-Pacific, on areas of shared
interest since January 2021.
(3) A description of the diplomatic and bureaucratic
barriers and obstacles to implementing and expanding existing
streams of Quad cooperation.
(4) A list of recommendations on how Congress could assist
in addressing the barriers described in paragraph (3), as well
as--
(A) any new authorities needed to strengthen United
States leadership in and contribution to existing and
proposed Quad initiatives and programs; and
(B) additional resources needed to scale up and
expand successful Quad initiatives and programs.
(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF QUAD INTER-PARLIAMENTARY WORKING GROUP.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall seek to enter into
negotiations with the Governments of Australia, India, and Japan
(collectively, with the United States, known as the ``Quad'') with the
goal of reaching a written agreement to establish a Quad Inter-
Parliamentary Working Group to facilitate closer cooperation on shared
interests and values.
(b) United States Group.--
(1) In general.--At such time as the governments of the
Quad countries enter into a written agreement described in
subsection (a) to establish a Quad Inter-Parliamentary Working
Group, there shall be established a United States Group, which
shall represent the United States at the Quad Inter-
Parliamentary Working Group.
(2) Membership.--
(A) In general.--The United States Group shall be
comprised of not more than 24 Members of Congress.
(B) Appointment.--Of the Members of Congress
appointed to the United States Group under subparagraph
(A)--
(i) half shall be appointed by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, based on
recommendations from the minority leader, from
among Members of the House, not fewer than 4 of
whom shall be members of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs; and
(ii) half shall be appointed by the
President Pro Tempore of the Senate, based on
recommendations of the majority leader and
minority leader of the Senate, from among
Members of the Senate, not fewer than 4 of whom
shall be members of the Committee on Foreign
Relations (unless the majority leader and
minority leader determine otherwise).
(3) Meetings.--
(A) In general.--The United States Group shall seek
to meet not less frequently than annually with
representatives and appropriate staff of the
legislatures of Australia, India, and Japan, and any
other country invited by mutual agreement of the Quad
countries.
(B) Limitation.--A meeting described in
subparagraph (A) may be held--
(i) in the United States;
(ii) in another Quad country during periods
when Congress is not in session; or
(iii) virtually.
(4) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--
(A) House delegation.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives shall designate the chairperson or vice
chairperson of the delegation of the United States
Group from the House from among members of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
(B) Senate delegation.--The President Pro Tempore
of the Senate shall designate the chairperson or vice
chairperson of the delegation of the United States
Group from the Senate from among members of the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
(5) Private sources.--The United States Group may accept
gifts or donations of services or property, subject to the
review and approval, as appropriate, of the Committee on Ethics
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Ethics of
the Senate.
(6) Certification of expenditures.--The certificate of the
chairperson of the delegation from the House of Representatives
or the delegation of the Senate of the United States Group
shall be final and conclusive upon the accounting officers in
the auditing of the accounts of the United States Group.
(7) Annual report.--The United States Group shall submit to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate a report at the end of each year that outlines the
group's activities that year, including a description of its
expenditures, and its recommendations for enhancing the Quad.
(8) Engagement with u.s. officials on the quad.--Senior
United States officials shall provide regular updates and
briefings to the United States Group, including leading up to
and after major Quadrilateral dialogues, to ensure close
coordination with Congress.
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