H.R. 3332

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3332 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3332

To bolster United States engagement with the Pacific Islands region, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 13, 2025

Mr. Case (for himself, Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Moylan, Mrs. 
King-Hinds, Mr. Womack, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Olszewski, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. 
Lieu, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Bera, Ms. Titus, Mr. Fitzpatrick, 
Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Sherman, and Mrs. Kim) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To bolster United States engagement with the Pacific Islands region, 
and for other purposes.

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 ``Pacific Partnership Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress as follows:
(1) The United States has longstanding and enduring 
cultural, historic, economic, strategic, and people-to-people 
connections with the Pacific Islands, based on shared values, 
cultural histories, common interests, and a commitment to 
fostering mutual understanding and cooperation.
(2) Successive United States administrations have 
recognized the critical importance of the Pacific Islands, to 
the world in high-level strategic documents, including the--
(A) 2015 National Security Strategy, which first 
declared the rebalance to Asia and the Pacific, 
affirmed the United States as a Pacific nation, and 
paved the way for subsequent United States engagement 
with the Pacific Islands;
(B) 2017 National Security Strategy, which includes 
a commitment to ``shore up fragile partner states in 
the Pacific Islands region to reduce their 
vulnerability to economic fluctuations and natural 
disasters'';
(C) 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, which 
identified the Pacific Islands as ``critical to United 
States strategy because of our shared values, 
interests, and commitments'';
(D) 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, which 
recognized the need to engage further with the Pacific 
Islands on shared security goals; and
(E) 2022 Strategy for Pacific Partnership, which 
outlined goals and methods for deepening the United 
States partnerships with Pacific Island nations.
(3) The United States Government should further develop, 
expand, and support a comprehensive and multifaceted United 
States policy for the Pacific Islands that--
(A) promotes peace, security, and prosperity for 
all countries that respects the sovereignty and 
political independence of all nations;
(B) preserves the Pacific Ocean as a corridor for 
international maritime economic opportunities and 
growth and promotes sustainable development;
(C) supports regional efforts to address shared 
challenges, including by strengthening resilience to 
natural disasters and stewardship of natural resources; 
and
(D) strengthens democratic governance and the rule 
of law, and promotes internationally recognized human 
rights and the preservation of the region's cultural 
heritages.
(4) The United States should collaborate closely with 
existing regional multilateral institutions and frameworks, 
such as the Pacific Islands Forum and the Pacific Community.
(5) The United States should work closely with United 
States allies and partners with existing relationships and 
interests in the Pacific Islands, such as Australia, Japan, 
South Korea, New Zealand, and Taiwan, and regional institutions 
like the Pacific Islands Forum.

SEC. 3. STRATEGY FOR PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP.

(a) In General.--Not later than January 1, 2026, and again not 
later than January 1, 2030, the President, in coordination with the 
Secretary of State, shall develop and submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a strategy entitled the ``Strategy for Pacific 
Partnership'' (in this section referred to as the ``Strategy'').
(b) Matters To Be Included.--The Strategy shall include each of the 
following:
(1) A description of overarching goals for United States 
engagement in the Pacific Islands region, including United 
States diplomatic posts, defense posture, and economic 
engagement.
(2) An assessment of threats and pressures to the Pacific 
Islands region including those caused by factors such as--
(A) natural disasters;
(B) illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing;
(C) non-United States military presence and 
activity;
(D) developmental challenges;
(E) economic coercion and corruption; and
(F) other factors assessed to be causing a direct 
risk to the United States national interests in the 
Pacific Islands.
(3) A plan to address the threats assessed pursuant to 
paragraph (2).
(4) A plan for the resources necessary for the United 
States to meet its goals in the Pacific Islands region.
(5) Mechanisms, including existing forums, for coordinating 
and cooperating on shared goals among the following, as 
appropriate:
(A) the governments of Pacific Island countries;
(B) regional partners in the Pacific Islands 
region, including multilateral forums and 
organizations, such as the Pacific Islands Forum;
(C) civil society in the Pacific Islands; and
(D) United States subnational governments in the 
Pacific.
(c) Consultation.--In developing the Strategy, the President should 
consult, as appropriate, with--
(1) relevant United States governmental agencies;
(2) regional organizations, such as the Pacific Islands 
Forum, the Pacific Islands Development Program, the Pacific 
Community, the Forum Fisheries Agency, and the Secretariat of 
the Pacific Regional Environment Programme;
(3) the governments of the countries in the Pacific 
Islands;
(4) civil society stakeholders;
(5) United States allies and partners; and
(6) United States Pacific territories and States.

SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITIES TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS 
FORUM.

The provisions of the International Organizations Immunities Act 
(22 U.S.C. 288 et seq.) may be extended to the Pacific Islands Forum in 
the same manner, to the same extent, and subject to the same conditions 
as such provisions may be extended to a public international 
organization in which the United States participates pursuant to any 
treaty or under the authority of any Act of Congress authorizing such 
participation or making an appropriation for such participation.

SEC. 5. ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION.

(a) In General.--The President, in consultation with the Secretary 
of State, and the relevant heads of other Federal departments and 
agencies, should consult and coordinate with allies and partners in the 
Pacific Islands region, including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, 
Taiwan, and regional institutions, such as the Pacific Islands Forum, 
the Pacific Islands Development Program, the Pacific Community and 
Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, with 
respect to programs to provide assistance to the Pacific Islands, 
including for purposes of--
(1) deconflicting programming;
(2) ensuring that any programming does not adversely affect 
the absorptive capacity of the Pacific Islands;
(3) ensuring complementary programs benefit the Pacific 
Islands to the maximum extent practicable; and
(4) ensuring that programming aligns with regional 
development goals to promote a shared vision for the future of 
the Pacific Islands.
(b) Formal Consultative Process.--The President should establish a 
formal consultative process with such regional allies and partners to 
coordinate with respect to such programs and future-years programming.

SEC. 6. REPORTING.

(a) Updates of Certain Reports.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State, in coordination 
with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies as 
appropriate, shall annually update the reports listed in 
paragraph (2) to include within the scope of such reports a 
regional discussion of transnational crime affecting the 
Pacific Islands.
(2) Reports listed.--The reports listed in this paragraph 
are the following:
(A) The International Narcotics Control Strategy 
report required by section 489 of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291h).
(B) The Improving International Fisheries 
Management report required by section 607 of title VI 
of the Fisheries Act of 1995 (16 U.S.C. 1826h).
(C) The Trafficking in Persons report submitted 
under section 110 of the Trafficking Victims Protection 
Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7107).
(b) Modification to Report on Indo-Pacific Region.--Section 5595(c) 
of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; 136 Stat. 3393) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and redesignating paragraph 
(2) as paragraph (1);
(2) in paragraph (1), as so redesignated, by striking ``the 
2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy, or successor documents,'' and 
inserting ``any relevant guidance documents''; and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1), as so redesignated, 
the following:
``(2) Implementing any relevant guidance documents that set 
forth the United States Government strategy toward the Pacific 
Islands region.''.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate.
(2) Pacific islands; pacific islands region.--The term 
``Pacific Islands'' and ``Pacific Islands region'' mean the 
nations, territories, and other jurisdictions in the Pacific 
Ocean within the broad groupings of Melanesia, Micronesia, and 
Polynesia.
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