Sec. 801. Report on the Strategy for Pacific Islands Partnership
1,409 words·~6 min read·
/bill/118/hr/4538/ih/section-801A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than one year after the date on which the initial report on the progress in implementing the Strategy for Pacific Islands Partnership required by section 103 is submitted to the appropriate congressional committees, and not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year thereafter, the President, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of United States Agency for International Development, the Secretary of Defense, the United States Trade Representative, and any other relevant official, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the progress in implementing the Strategy for Pacific Islands Partnership.
The report required by subsection
(a)shall include the following: An assessment of the security challenges to the Pacific Islands, including— an assessment of the status of security challenges to the Pacific Islands, including as outlined by regional documents such as the Boe Declaration on regional security; an analysis of demonstrated needs of the Pacific Islands for assistance, including excess defense equipment and related materials with humanitarian and development uses to fulfill such needs; a review of existing security assistance programs in the Pacific Islands, including programs and efforts provided by United States allies and partners; a plan for programs for training and sustainment with respect to such excess defense equipment and related materials, including those with humanitarian and development uses; a list of militaries, national police forces, coast guards, and other national security forces of the Pacific Islands receiving assistance under the strategy; a plan to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, if necessary, through the Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Aid program; a review of existing cross-border maritime law enforcement operations (commonly known as shiprider agreements ) with the Pacific Islands, an assessment of additional resourcing needs to enhance operational capacity, and a plan to improve on these programs and operations; a review of existing National Guard State Partnership Programs with the Pacific Islands, an assessment of additional opportunities to leverage National Guard State Partnership Programs to address law enforcement, disaster relief and emergency management, and related priorities, and a plan to expand, as appropriate, existing and new National Guard State Partnership Programs in the region; a review of current efforts and progress in removing unexploded ordnance in the Pacific Islands and an assessment of additional resourcing needed to ensure continued progress, including to support coordination with regional efforts and those of United States allies and partners; a review of existing regional fusion centers and other cooperative intelligence sharing efforts in the Pacific Islands to address maritime security, transnational crime, natural disasters, and other security challenges and an assessment of opportunities for the United States to participate in such efforts, including by allocating staff and supplying resourcing; measures to evaluate success for the strategy; and a detailed assessment of appropriations required to achieve the objectives for the strategy in future years. An assessment of the diplomatic presence in the Pacific Islands, including— a description of the Department of State, United States Agency for International Development, United States International Development Finance Corporation, Millennium Challenge Corporation, United States Trade and Development Authority and United States Commercial Service presence, staffing, programming, and resourcing of operations in the Pacific Islands, including programming and resourcing not specifically allocated to the Pacific Islands; and a description of gaps in such presence, including unfilled full-time equivalent positions. A description of coordination with regional allies, including— a review of ongoing efforts, initiatives, and programs undertaken by regional allies and partners, including multilateral organizations, to advance the priorities identified in this Act; a review of ongoing efforts, initiatives, and programs undertaken by nonallied foreign actors that are viewed as being potentially harmful or in any way detrimental to one or more countries of the Pacific Islands; and an assessment of United States programs in the Pacific Islands and their alignment and complementarity with the efforts of regional allies and partners. A description of trade capacity building, including— economic opportunities for which United States businesses, or those of other like-minded partners, would be competitive; legal, economic, governance, infrastructural, or other hurdles limiting United States investment in the Pacific Islands; and steps the United States has taken to— develop human and institutional capacity and infrastructure across multiple sectors of economies, including digital connectivity and cybersecurity; assist with development and implementation of regional and international trade agreements, including the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Trade Facilitation and facilitation of intraregional trade flows; support women-owned enterprises and gender equality; and promote government policies that encourage free and fair competition, sound governance, environmental protection, and business environments conducive to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. A description of trade development, including— an assessment of the readiness of countries in the Pacific Islands to enter into enhanced trade relationships with the United States, including with respect to reducing or eliminating tariff and nontariff barriers inhibiting progress towards deepening trade relationships; a review of existing regional multilateral and bilateral trade agreements and preference programs involving the Pacific Islands and their impacts on regional trade and development; and an identification of opportunities to work with existing regional frameworks to increase trade and economic integration with the Pacific Islands. A description of emergency preparedness for the Pacific Islands, including— an assessment of disaster risks in the Pacific Islands and existing local and regional capacity to respond to such risks; and a review of existing efforts by United States allies and partners to provide assistance and training for natural disaster preparedness and emergency management. A description of activities of the Peace Corps in the Pacific Islands, including— a comparative analysis of the Peace Corps presence in the Pacific Islands region to other regions of the world, including a cost-benefit analysis of placement in the region versus elsewhere globally; an analysis of current impediments to Peace Corps expansion in the Pacific Islands region; outcomes of consultations among United States agencies, and with regional allies and partners, on areas in which cooperation can reduce factors limiting Peace Corps expansion, particularly those related to medical transportation and personal safety; and a plan and timeline for implementing outcomes identified to facilitate expansion of Peace Corps presence in the region, where appropriate. A description of public health and health care challenges in the Pacific Islands, including health systems strengthening, immunization, noncommunicable diseases, and gender-based violence. A description of resilient development in the Pacific Islands, including— a review of foreign infrastructure developments in the Pacific Islands by non-United States allies and partners; assessments of the environmental impact and sustainability of such developments; an analysis of the financial sustainability of such developments and their impacts on the debt of host countries in the Pacific Islands; and an analysis of the region’s banking infrastructure and Pacific Island access to financial services. A description of press freedom in the Pacific Islands, including— an assessment of the national laws of the Pacific Islands with respect to foreign investment in media and related sectors; relevant licensing regulations of the Pacific Islands and governmental restrictions on free expression that limit the availability of diverse media voices in the Pacific Islands; and analyses of covert efforts by foreign media actors in the Pacific Islands— to influence, shape, or circumvent regulations in the media or telecommunication sectors; and to co-opt local media and narratives. A description of civil society engagement and development, including— an assessment of the strength and viability of civil society sectors of the Pacific Islands, including legal, organizational capacity, financial, advocacy, services, infrastructure, and public image sectors; and an identification of objectives and measures of success for the program. A description of United States Government efforts to assist the Pacific Islands in the improvement of critical physical and cyber infrastructure, including— investments in the development or improvement critical infrastructure supported by the United States; technical assistance for the development or improvement of critical infrastructure supported by the United States; and a description of support given to Pacific Islands on the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure. A description of United States Government efforts to assist the Pacific Islands in accessing support from international organizations. A description of how United States Government efforts align with regional development goals, as outlined in documents such as the 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific Continent. Beginning on the date that is 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President may submit to the appropriate congressional committees a recommendation on the consolidation or elimination of any duplicative reports as required by this section.