Sec. 30204. Establishment of Quad Intra-Parliamentary Working Group
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/bill/117/hr/4521/pcs/section-30204·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall seek to enter into negotiations with the governments of Japan, Australia, and India (collectively, with the United States, known as the Quad ) with the goal of reaching a written agreement to establish a Quad Intra-Parliamentary Working Group to facilitate closer cooperation on shared interests and values. At such time as the governments of the Quad countries enter into a written agreement described in subsection
(a)to establish a Quad Intra-Parliamentary Working Group, there shall be established a United States Group, which shall represent the United States at the Quad Intra-Parliamentary Working Group. The United States Group shall be comprised of not more than 24 Members of Congress. Of the Members of Congress appointed to the United States Group under subparagraph (A)— half shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from among Members of the House, not fewer than four of whom shall be members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and 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 four of whom shall be members of the Committee on Foreign Relations (unless the majority leader and minority leader determine otherwise). The United States Group shall seek to meet not less frequently than annually with representatives and appropriate staff of the legislatures of Japan, Australia, and India, and any other country invited by mutual agreement of the Quad countries. A meeting described in subparagraph
(A)may be held— in the United States; in another Quad country during periods when Congress is not in session; or virtually. 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. 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. There is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each fiscal years 2022 through 2025 for the United States Group. For each fiscal year for which an appropriation is made for the United States Group, half of the amount appropriated shall be available to the delegation from the House of Representatives and half of the amount appropriated shall be available to the delegation from the Senate. The amounts available to the delegations of the House of Representatives and the Senate under clause
(i)shall be disbursed on vouchers to be approved by the chairperson of the delegation from the House of Representatives and the chairperson of the delegation from the Senate, respectively. 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. 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. 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 for each fiscal year for which an appropriation is made for the United States Group, including a description of its expenditures under such appropriation.