[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1447 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1447
Recognizing that for 55 years, the Republic of Fiji has worked with the
United States toward stability, prosperity, and peace in the Pacific
and beyond, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives
that the United States will continue to remain a strong, reliable, and
active partner in the Pacific.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 22, 2026
Mr. Bera (for himself, Mr. Moylan, Mr. Case, Mrs. Radewagen, and Ms.
King-Hinds) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs
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RESOLUTION
Recognizing that for 55 years, the Republic of Fiji has worked with the
United States toward stability, prosperity, and peace in the Pacific
and beyond, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives
that the United States will continue to remain a strong, reliable, and
active partner in the Pacific.
Whereas the Republic of Fiji became independent of the United Kingdom on October
10, 1970;
Whereas the United States and Fiji established diplomatic relations on July 22,
1971, when the Ambassador of Fiji, Semesa K. Sikivou, presented his
credentials to President Richard M. Nixon;
Whereas Fiji is a valued security partner of the United States, participating in
the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, which
sends members of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces to professional
military education courses in the United States;
Whereas the Republic of Fiji Military Forces continue to be a large provider of
troops and police to United Nations peacekeeping operations;
Whereas Fiji participated in Pacific Partnership 2025, the United States Navy's
largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster
response mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific, and in collaboration
with partner nations such as Fiji, the United States Navy enhances
regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increases
security and stability in the region, and fosters new and enduring
friendships in the Indo-Pacific;
Whereas the Republic of Fiji Military Forces personnel participated in a
multilateral military-to-military training exercise with the United
States Army Pacific in Exercise Cartwheel;
Whereas, since signing a shiprider agreement with Fiji in 2019, the United
States has hosted Fijian shipriders on United States Navy and Coast
Guard vessels for maritime law enforcement operations;
Whereas the United States Government supports strengthening cooperative
activities with the Government of Fiji, including sustainable fisheries
management;
Whereas section 1252 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2020 (Public Law 116-92) expanded the number of countries that receive
assistance under the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative,
including Fiji;
Whereas the United States and Fiji signed an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing
Agreement in 2024 which enables the efficient transfer of fuel and
medical supplies as well as the use of maintenance facilities during
emergencies;
Whereas Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced United States commitment to
collaborate with the Government of Fiji on joint port infrastructure
investment at the 2026 Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, highlighting
Fiji's role as a crucial partner in the Indo-Pacific;
Whereas Fiji and the United States have signed a Compact Development Funding
Agreement to advance towards designing a Millennium Challenge
Corporation compact program that will bring tangible benefits to both
the United States and Fiji;
Whereas the United States is Fiji's largest export market, accounting for 28.5
percent of Fiji's total merchandise exports;
Whereas a peaceful, prosperous, and open Indo-Pacific promotes security,
opportunity, and dignity to all peoples, benefits the people of both the
United States and Fiji, and Fiji has advanced its own Ocean of Peace
Declaration that was adopted by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders
Meeting in 2025, displaying Fiji's position as a valued leader in the
region and its commitment to these principles;
Whereas Fiji restored democratic governance in 2014;
Whereas over 50,000 United States citizens trace their roots to Fiji, many of
whom reside in California;
Whereas Fiji has hosted the Peace Corps since 1968;
Whereas Des Plaines, Illinois, and Nailuva, Fiji, are sister cities, a broad-
based, long-term partnership to promote peace through mutual respect,
understanding, and cooperation centered on people-to-people exchanges;
and
Whereas the Nevada National Guard entered into a State Partnership Program with
Fiji in 2019: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) celebrates 55 years of diplomatic relations between the
United States and the Republic of Fiji;
(2) commends Fiji on a successful return to democracy and
two elections deemed to be free and fair by international
observers, and urges that the next general election expected to
take place between 2026-2027 remains free and fair;
(3) supports and affirms the full implementation of
provisions of the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018
(Public Law 115-409) and supports its strengthening with regard
to deepening its cooperation with Fiji in areas of mutual
interest, including fisheries and marine resource conservation,
environmental challenges and resilience, global health,
development and trade, and people-to-people ties, as well as
continuing United States assistance, as appropriate, to support
the rule of law, good governance, and economic development; and
(4) recognizes Fiji's participation in multinational
security forces and multilateral institutions, including the
United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World
Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the International Atomic
Energy Agency, the World Trade Organization, the Pacific
Community, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional
Environmental Programme, and the Pacific Islands Forum.
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