Sec. 9303. Establishment of United States embassies in Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Tonga and a diplomatic presence in Vanuatu
783 words·~4 min read·
/bill/117/hres/1512/eh/section-9303·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress makes the following findings: The Pacific Islands are vital to United States national security and national interests in the Indo-Pacific region and globally. The Pacific Islands region spans 15 percent of the world’s surface area and controls access to open waters in the Central Pacific, sea lanes to the Western Hemisphere, supply lines to United States forward-deployed forces in East Asia, and economically important fisheries. The Pacific Islands region is home to the State of Hawaii, 11 United States territories, United States Naval Base Guam, and United States Andersen Air Force Base.
Pacific Island countries cooperate with the United States and United States partners on maritime security and efforts to stop illegal, unreported, and destructive fishing. The Pacific Islands are rich in biodiversity and are on the frontlines of environmental challenges and climate issues. The People’s Republic of China seeks to increase its influence in the Pacific Islands region, including through infrastructure development under the People’s Republic of China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative and its new security agreement with the Solomon Islands.
The United States closed its embassy in the Solomon Islands in 1993. The United States Embassy in Papua New Guinea manages the diplomatic affairs of the United States to the Republic of Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, and the United States Embassy in Fiji manages the diplomatic affairs of the United States to the Republic of Kiribati and the Kingdom of Tonga. The United States requires a physical and more robust diplomatic presence in the Republic of Vanuatu, the Republic of Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, and the Kingdom of Tonga, to ensure the physical and operational security of our efforts in those countries to deepen relations, protect United States national security, and pursue United States national interests.
Increasing the number of United States embassies dedicated solely to a Pacific Island country demonstrates the United States’ ongoing commitment to the region and to the Pacific Island countries. As soon as possible, the Secretary should— establish physical United States embassies in the Republic of Kiribati and in the Kingdom of Tonga; upgrade the United States consular agency in the Solomon Islands to an embassy; and establish a physical United States Government presence in the Republic of Vanuatu.
In establishing embassies pursuant to paragraph
(1)and creating the physical infrastructure to ensure the physical and operational safety of embassy personnel, the Secretary may pursue rent or purchase existing buildings or co-locate personnel in embassies of like-minded partners, such as Australia and New Zealand. In establishing a physical presence in the Republic of Vanuatu pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary may assign 1 or more United States Government personnel to the Republic of Vanuatu as part of the United States mission in Papua New Guinea. The President may waive the requirements under paragraph
(1)for a period of one year if the President determines and reports to Congress in advance that such waiver is necessary to protect the national security interests of the United States. Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State for Embassy Security, Construction, and Maintenance— $40,200,000 is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2023— to establish and maintain the 3 embassies authorized to be established under subsection (b); and to establish a physical United States Government presence in the Republic of Vanuatu; $3,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2024— to maintain such embassies; and to establish a physical United States Government presence in the Republic of Vanuatu; In this subsection, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate ; the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate ; the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives ; and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives . Not later than 180 days following the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes— a description of the status of activities carried out to achieve the objectives described in this section; an estimate of when embassies and a physical presence will be fully established pursuant to subsection (b)(1); and an update on events in the Pacific Islands region relevant to the establishment of United States embassies, including activities by the People’s Republic of China. Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress that— confirms the establishment of the 3 embassies and the physical presence required under subsection (b)(1); or if the embassies and physical presence required in subsection (b)(1) have not been established, a justification for such failure to comply with such requirement.