[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3332 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3332
To bolster United States engagement with the Pacific Islands region,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 13, 2025
Mr. Case (for himself, Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Moylan, Mrs.
King-Hinds, Mr. Womack, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Olszewski, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr.
Lieu, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Bera, Ms. Titus, Mr. Fitzpatrick,
Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Sherman, and Mrs. Kim) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To bolster United States engagement with the Pacific Islands region,
and for other purposes.
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 ``Pacific Partnership Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress as follows:
(1) The United States has longstanding and enduring
cultural, historic, economic, strategic, and people-to-people
connections with the Pacific Islands, based on shared values,
cultural histories, common interests, and a commitment to
fostering mutual understanding and cooperation.
(2) Successive United States administrations have
recognized the critical importance of the Pacific Islands, to
the world in high-level strategic documents, including the--
(A) 2015 National Security Strategy, which first
declared the rebalance to Asia and the Pacific,
affirmed the United States as a Pacific nation, and
paved the way for subsequent United States engagement
with the Pacific Islands;
(B) 2017 National Security Strategy, which includes
a commitment to ``shore up fragile partner states in
the Pacific Islands region to reduce their
vulnerability to economic fluctuations and natural
disasters'';
(C) 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, which
identified the Pacific Islands as ``critical to United
States strategy because of our shared values,
interests, and commitments'';
(D) 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, which
recognized the need to engage further with the Pacific
Islands on shared security goals; and
(E) 2022 Strategy for Pacific Partnership, which
outlined goals and methods for deepening the United
States partnerships with Pacific Island nations.
(3) The United States Government should further develop,
expand, and support a comprehensive and multifaceted United
States policy for the Pacific Islands that--
(A) promotes peace, security, and prosperity for
all countries that respects the sovereignty and
political independence of all nations;
(B) preserves the Pacific Ocean as a corridor for
international maritime economic opportunities and
growth and promotes sustainable development;
(C) supports regional efforts to address shared
challenges, including by strengthening resilience to
natural disasters and stewardship of natural resources;
and
(D) strengthens democratic governance and the rule
of law, and promotes internationally recognized human
rights and the preservation of the region's cultural
heritages.
(4) The United States should collaborate closely with
existing regional multilateral institutions and frameworks,
such as the Pacific Islands Forum and the Pacific Community.
(5) The United States should work closely with United
States allies and partners with existing relationships and
interests in the Pacific Islands, such as Australia, Japan,
South Korea, New Zealand, and Taiwan, and regional institutions
like the Pacific Islands Forum.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY FOR PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP.
(a) In General.--Not later than January 1, 2026, and again not
later than January 1, 2030, the President, in coordination with the
Secretary of State, shall develop and submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a strategy entitled the ``Strategy for Pacific
Partnership'' (in this section referred to as the ``Strategy'').
(b) Matters To Be Included.--The Strategy shall include each of the
following:
(1) A description of overarching goals for United States
engagement in the Pacific Islands region, including United
States diplomatic posts, defense posture, and economic
engagement.
(2) An assessment of threats and pressures to the Pacific
Islands region including those caused by factors such as--
(A) natural disasters;
(B) illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing;
(C) non-United States military presence and
activity;
(D) developmental challenges;
(E) economic coercion and corruption; and
(F) other factors assessed to be causing a direct
risk to the United States national interests in the
Pacific Islands.
(3) A plan to address the threats assessed pursuant to
paragraph (2).
(4) A plan for the resources necessary for the United
States to meet its goals in the Pacific Islands region.
(5) Mechanisms, including existing forums, for coordinating
and cooperating on shared goals among the following, as
appropriate:
(A) the governments of Pacific Island countries;
(B) regional partners in the Pacific Islands
region, including multilateral forums and
organizations, such as the Pacific Islands Forum;
(C) civil society in the Pacific Islands; and
(D) United States subnational governments in the
Pacific.
(c) Consultation.--In developing the Strategy, the President should
consult, as appropriate, with--
(1) relevant United States governmental agencies;
(2) regional organizations, such as the Pacific Islands
Forum, the Pacific Islands Development Program, the Pacific
Community, the Forum Fisheries Agency, and the Secretariat of
the Pacific Regional Environment Programme;
(3) the governments of the countries in the Pacific
Islands;
(4) civil society stakeholders;
(5) United States allies and partners; and
(6) United States Pacific territories and States.
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITIES TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
FORUM.
The provisions of the International Organizations Immunities Act
(22 U.S.C. 288 et seq.) may be extended to the Pacific Islands Forum in
the same manner, to the same extent, and subject to the same conditions
as such provisions 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. ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION.
(a) In General.--The President, in consultation with the Secretary
of State, and the relevant heads of other Federal departments and
agencies, should consult and coordinate with allies and partners in the
Pacific Islands region, including Australia, Japan, New Zealand,
Taiwan, and regional institutions, such as the Pacific Islands Forum,
the Pacific Islands Development Program, the Pacific Community and
Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, with
respect to programs to provide assistance to the Pacific Islands,
including for purposes of--
(1) deconflicting programming;
(2) ensuring that any programming does not adversely affect
the absorptive capacity of the Pacific Islands;
(3) ensuring complementary programs benefit the Pacific
Islands to the maximum extent practicable; and
(4) ensuring that programming aligns with regional
development goals to promote a shared vision for the future of
the Pacific Islands.
(b) Formal Consultative Process.--The President should establish a
formal consultative process with such regional allies and partners to
coordinate with respect to such programs and future-years programming.
SEC. 6. REPORTING.
(a) Updates of Certain Reports.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State, in coordination
with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies as
appropriate, shall annually update the reports listed in
paragraph (2) to include within the scope of such reports a
regional discussion of transnational crime affecting the
Pacific Islands.
(2) Reports listed.--The reports listed in this paragraph
are the following:
(A) The International Narcotics Control Strategy
report required by section 489 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291h).
(B) The Improving International Fisheries
Management report required by section 607 of title VI
of the Fisheries Act of 1995 (16 U.S.C. 1826h).
(C) The Trafficking in Persons report submitted
under section 110 of the Trafficking Victims Protection
Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107).
(b) Modification to Report on Indo-Pacific Region.--Section 5595(c)
of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; 136 Stat. 3393) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and redesignating paragraph
(2) as paragraph (1);
(2) in paragraph (1), as so redesignated, by striking ``the
2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy, or successor documents,'' and
inserting ``any relevant guidance documents''; and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(2) Implementing any relevant guidance documents that set
forth the United States Government strategy toward the Pacific
Islands region.''.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate.
(2) Pacific islands; pacific islands region.--The term
``Pacific Islands'' and ``Pacific Islands region'' mean the
nations, territories, and other jurisdictions in the Pacific
Ocean within the broad groupings of Melanesia, Micronesia, and
Polynesia.
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