“To bolster United States engagement with the Pacific Islands region, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section states the sense of Congress regarding U.S. policy toward the Pacific Islands. It recognizes longstanding U.S. connections with the region; prior U.S. strategies emphasizing its importance (including the 2015 and 2017 National Security Strategies, 2019 and 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy Reports, and 2022 Strategy for Pacific Partnership); the need for a comprehensive U.S. policy promoting peace, security, prosperity, sovereignty, sustainable maritime economic opportunities, resilience to disasters, resource stewardship, democratic governance, rule of law, human rights, and cultural heritage; and close collaboration with regional institutions such as the Pacific Islands Forum and Pacific Community, as well as allies and partners including Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
This section requires the President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to develop and submit to the appropriate congressional committees the “Strategy for Pacific Partnership” by January 1, 2026, and again by January 1, 2030. The strategy must include (1) overarching goals for U.S. engagement in the Pacific Islands region, covering diplomatic posts, defense posture, and economic engagement; (2) an assessment of regional threats and pressures such as natural disasters, illegal unreported and unregulated fishing, non-U.S. military presence and activity, developmental challenges, economic coercion and corruption, and other risks to U.S. national interests; (3) a plan to address those threats; (4) a plan for necessary resources; and (5) mechanisms, including existing forums, for coordinating with Pacific Island governments, regional partners such as the Pacific Islands Forum, Pacific civil society, and U.S. subnational governments. In developing the strategy, the President must consult, as appropriate, with relevant U.S. agencies; regional organizations such as the Pacific Islands Forum, Pacific Islands Development Program, Pacific Community, Forum Fisheries Agency, and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme; Pacific Island governments; civil society stakeholders; U.S. allies and partners; and U.S. Pacific territories and states.
This section authorizes extension of the International Organizations Immunities Act—which provides diplomatic privileges and immunities (e.g., tax exemptions, immunity from suit) to designated public international organizations and their personnel—to the Pacific Islands Forum in the same manner, extent, and conditions as to other such organizations in which the United States participates pursuant to treaty or congressional authority.
This section directs the President, in consultation with the Secretary of State and relevant heads of other federal departments and agencies, to 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, Pacific Islands Development Program, Pacific Community, and Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme—with respect to U.S. assistance programs for the Pacific Islands to (1) deconflict programming, (2) ensure programming does not adversely affect absorptive capacity, (3) maximize complementary benefits to the Pacific Islands, and (4) align programming with regional development goals. The section further directs the President to establish a formal consultative process with such allies and partners to coordinate current and future assistance programs.
This section requires the Secretary of State, in coordination with other federal departments and agencies as appropriate, to annually update three congressional reports—(1) the International Narcotics Control Strategy report required by Section 489 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291h), (2) the Improving International Fisheries Management report required by Section 607 of the Fisheries Act of 1995 (16 U.S.C. 1826h) (previously submitted biennially by the Secretary of Commerce in consultation with the Secretary of State), and (3) the Trafficking in Persons report required by Section 110 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107)—to include a regional discussion of transnational crime affecting the Pacific Islands. This section amends Section 5595(c) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263) by striking paragraph (1); redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (1) and revising it to refer to "any relevant guidance documents" rather than "the 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy, or successor documents"; and adding a new paragraph (2) requiring implementation of any relevant guidance documents that set forth the U.S. government strategy toward the Pacific Islands region.
This section defines terms used in the Act, including (1) "appropriate congressional committees," meaning the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; and (2) "Pacific Islands" or "Pacific Islands region," meaning nations, territories, and other jurisdictions in the Pacific Ocean within Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.