H.R. 1263

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1263 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1263

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 20, 2025

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To require a strategy for bolstering engagement and cooperation between 
the United States, Australia, India, and Japan and to seek to establish 
a Quad Inter-Parliamentary Working Group to facilitate closer 
cooperation on shared interests and values.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening the Quad Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) as a Pacific power, the United States should continue 
to strengthen joint cooperation between the United States, 
Australia, India, and Japan (commonly referred to as the 
``Quadrilateral Dialogue'' or ``Quad'' and referred to as such 
in this Act) to enhance and implement a shared vision to meet 
regional challenges and to promote a free, open, inclusive, 
resilient, and healthy Indo-Pacific, that is characterized by 
respect for democratic norms, rule of law, and market-driven 
economic growth, and is free from undue influence and coercion;
(2) the United States should expand dialogue and 
cooperation through the Quad with a range of partners to 
support peace and prosperity, the rule of law, freedom of 
navigation and overflight, the peaceful resolution of disputes, 
and democratic resilience in the Indo-Pacific;
(3) the pledge from the first-ever Quad leaders meeting on 
March 12, 2021, to address shared challenges, including in 
public health, cyberspace, critical technologies, 
counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment, and 
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, as well as 
maritime domains, laid the foundation for critical cooperation 
among Quad countries;
(4) the Quad countries, working through institutions, 
including the United States International Development Finance 
Corporation, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and 
the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and through 
partnerships with multilateral development banks such as the 
World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, should finance 
development and infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific 
region that are competitive, transparent, and sustainable;
(5) President Biden's decision to elevate the Quad to the 
leader level was critical to bolstering cooperation, and all 4 
countries should work to ensure that the Quad Leaders' Summit 
continues to take place regularly;
(6) the ambitious framework for ongoing cooperation laid 
out by the 4 leaders at the fifth convening of the Quad 
Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on May 20, 2023, should continue;
(7) Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the Quad Foreign 
Ministers in Washington, DC on January 21, 2025--his first day 
in office--underscoring the continued importance of cooperation 
between the 4 democracies; and
(8) the formation of a Quad Inter-Parliamentary Working 
Group will--
(A) sustain and deepen engagement between senior 
officials of the Quad countries on a full spectrum of 
issues; and
(B) be modeled on the successful and long-standing 
bilateral inter-parliamentary groups between the United 
States and Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as 
well as other formal and informal parliamentary 
exchanges.

SEC. 3. STRATEGY.

(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a strategy for bolstering 
engagement and cooperation with the Quad.
(b) Matters To Be Included.--The strategy required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following:
(1) A description of how the United States intends to 
demonstrate democratic leadership in the Indo-Pacific through 
quadrilateral engagement with Australia, India, and Japan on 
shared interests and common challenges.
(2) A summary of--
(A) current and past Quad initiatives across the 
whole of the United States Government, including to 
promote broad based and inclusive economic growth and 
investment, and to advance technology cooperation, 
energy innovation, climate mitigation and adaptation, 
physical and digital infrastructure development, 
education, disaster management, resilient supply chains 
including in critical minerals, and global health 
security;
(B) proposals agreed to by all Quad countries since 
January 2021 to deepen existing security cooperation, 
intelligence sharing, economic partnerships, and 
multilateral coordination; and
(C) initiatives and agreements undertaken jointly 
with Quad countries, in addition to other like-minded 
partners in the Indo-Pacific, on areas of shared 
interest since January 2021.
(3) A description of the diplomatic and bureaucratic 
barriers and obstacles to implementing and expanding existing 
streams of Quad cooperation.
(4) A list of recommendations on how Congress could assist 
in addressing the barriers described in paragraph (3), as well 
as--
(A) any new authorities needed to strengthen United 
States leadership in and contribution to existing and 
proposed Quad initiatives and programs; and
(B) additional resources needed to scale up and 
expand successful Quad initiatives and programs.
(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF QUAD INTER-PARLIAMENTARY WORKING GROUP.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall seek to enter into 
negotiations with the Governments of Australia, India, and Japan 
(collectively, with the United States, known as the ``Quad'') with the 
goal of reaching a written agreement to establish a Quad Inter-
Parliamentary Working Group to facilitate closer cooperation on shared 
interests and values.
(b) United States Group.--
(1) In general.--At such time as the governments of the 
Quad countries enter into a written agreement described in 
subsection (a) to establish a Quad Inter-Parliamentary Working 
Group, there shall be established a United States Group, which 
shall represent the United States at the Quad Inter-
Parliamentary Working Group.
(2) Membership.--
(A) In general.--The United States Group shall be 
comprised of not more than 24 Members of Congress.
(B) Appointment.--Of the Members of Congress 
appointed to the United States Group under subparagraph 
(A)--
(i) half shall be appointed by the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives, based on 
recommendations from the minority leader, from 
among Members of the House, not fewer than 4 of 
whom shall be members of the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs; and
(ii) 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 4 of whom 
shall be members of the Committee on Foreign 
Relations (unless the majority leader and 
minority leader determine otherwise).
(3) Meetings.--
(A) In general.--The United States Group shall seek 
to meet not less frequently than annually with 
representatives and appropriate staff of the 
legislatures of Australia, India, and Japan, and any 
other country invited by mutual agreement of the Quad 
countries.
(B) Limitation.--A meeting described in 
subparagraph (A) may be held--
(i) in the United States;
(ii) in another Quad country during periods 
when Congress is not in session; or
(iii) virtually.
(4) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--
(A) House delegation.--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.
(B) Senate delegation.--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.
(5) Private sources.--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.
(6) Certification of expenditures.--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.
(7) Annual report.--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 at the end of each year that outlines the 
group's activities that year, including a description of its 
expenditures, and its recommendations for enhancing the Quad.
(8) Engagement with u.s. officials on the quad.--Senior 
United States officials shall provide regular updates and 
briefings to the United States Group, including leading up to 
and after major Quadrilateral dialogues, to ensure close 
coordination with Congress.

Passed the House of Representatives May 19, 2025.

Attest:

KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

Clerk.