Sec. 30251. United States-Caribbean Resilience Partnership
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/bill/117/hr/4521/pcs/section-30251·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress makes the following findings: The United States shares with the Caribbean a collective vulnerability to natural disasters, which affects the lives and the economies of our citizens. The April 9, 2021, eruption of the La Soufriere volcano is another reminder of the devastation caused by the many natural disasters the Caribbean confronts each year and the region’s vulnerability to external shocks. Hurricane Dorian, the largest storm to hit the region, wiped out large parts of the northern Bahamas in 2019, and Hurricanes Maria and Irma devastated multiple islands across the region in 2017, including Puerto Rico.
According to IMF research, of the 511 plus disasters worldwide to hit small states since 1950, around two-thirds
(324)have been in the Caribbean. This region is seven times more likely to experience a natural disaster than elsewhere. And, when one occurs, it will incur as much as six times more damage. Extreme weather events and other environmental impacts will only worsen over the coming years, and if not addressed, we will see only increasing economic shocks on these countries, driving irregular migration. While the United States has considerable expertise and capacity in assisting countries with disaster response, there remains a need for stronger partnerships that build regional resilience through efficient and interoperable platforms, protecting people and speeding recovery. The People’s Republic of China has dramatically increased its engagement in the Caribbean in the past five years, including offering loans and grants related to disaster response and resilience and sought to acquire property rights in the Caribbean that would be detrimental to United States national security interests. In 2019, the United States launched a new U.S.-Caribbean Resilience Partnership to deepen cooperation and investment to strengthen our disaster resilience throughout the Caribbean region, including— to streamline early warning response networks and formalize communication channels; to enhance, encourage, and work collaboratively on further developing aviation disaster resilience plans and partnerships; to prioritize regional technical exchange in energy planning, risk reduction, and resilience; to increase communications network interoperability between Caribbean partners and the United States; to utilize storm surge mapping data and share real-time information in preparation for potential damage resulting from tropical cyclones and tsunamis; to use meteorological services to strengthen and deepen physical and communications infrastructure, data collection networks, and human and technical capacity throughout the region, as well as interactions with the public; to understand that while the use of international and military and civil defense assets in disaster response may only be considered as a last resort, when local, national, and international civilian capabilities are overwhelmed, civil-military coordination should occur, in support of the affected nation; to develop a framework that would govern the deployment of international military and civil defense assets in disaster response when local, national, and international civilian capabilities are overwhelmed, in support of the affected nation; to seek common mechanisms for ensuring rapid disaster response and recovery, including waiving or expediting diplomatic clearances, waiving of or reducing customs fees, streamlining overflight and airspace clearance, and ensuring that the first responders have the ability to rapidly respond to disasters in other countries; to promote the integration and coordination of regional response mechanisms in the Caribbean, including through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the Regional Security System, United States Government Agencies, and allies in ways that facilitate more effective and efficient planning, mitigation, response, and resilience to natural disasters; to share best practices in improved building codes with national disaster organizations, including building better programs, at regional, national and community levels; and to promote community-based disaster preparedness and mitigation activities, particularly in underserved communities, with the aim of increasing broad public participation and resilience. It is the policy of the United States to help Caribbean countries— increase their resilience and adapt to natural disasters and the impacts of severe weather events and a changing environment; partner with United States Federal, State, and local agencies and engage in technical cooperation, dialogue, and assistance activities; harmonize standards and practices related to paragraphs
(1)and
(2)to promote increased investment and integration; increase investment from United States companies in the Caribbean on resilience-building, adaptation, and climate-related mitigation efforts; promote regional cooperation and ensure efforts by the United States, Caribbean countries, and international partners complement each other; and further assist with the efforts described in subsection (a)(7). Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a multi-year strategy that describes how the Department of State will achieve the policies described in subsection (b). There are authorized to be appropriated for activities, programs, technical assistance, and engagement under this section the following: $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2022. $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2023. $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter. Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated each fiscal year pursuant to subsection (d), at least five percent of all programming funding allocation shall support and be directed toward reporting, monitoring, and assessment of effectiveness. The Department of State shall ensure that at least 20 percent of amounts authorized to be appropriated pursuant to subsection
(d)directly support the training of, engagement with, collaboration with, and exchange of expertise on resilience between United States Federal, State, and local officials and their Caribbean government counterparts. Such amounts should also support, as appropriate, increased academic, civil society, media, and private sector engagement in the fields of resilience-building, adaptation, and mitigation.