Indo-Pacific Cooperation Act of 2019

IC 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 2547 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 15, 2020 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs AN ACT To state the policy of the United States with respect to the expansion of cooperation with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region and Europe regarding the People’s Republic of China. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 Jan 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2547.RFH S2547 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 S 2547 RFH SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Indo-Pacific Coopera- 2 tion Act of 2019’’. 3 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 4 Congress makes the following findings: 5 (1) Congress supports the finding on the Peo- 6 ple’s Republic of China articulated in the 2018 Na- 7 tional Defense Strategy and the 2017 National Se- 8 curity Strategy. 9 (2) The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 10 2018 (Public Law 115–409) established the policy of 11 the United States ‘‘to develop and commit to a long- 12 term strategic vision and a comprehensive, multi- 13 faceted, and principled United States policy for the 14 Indo-Pacific region’’ so as to advance United States 15 national security, economic, human rights, and other 16 regional interests, and for such purposes, Congress 17 has authorized appropriate funding. 18 (3) The People’s Republic of China is 19 leveraging military modernization, influence oper- 20 ations, and predatory economics to coerce neigh- 21 boring countries to reorder the Indo-Pacific region 22 to the advantage of the People’s Republic of China. 23 (4) As the People’s Republic of China continues 24 its economic and military ascendance, asserting 25 power through a whole of government long-term 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 Jan 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2547.RFH S2547 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 S 2547 RFH strategy, the People’s Republic of China will con- 1 tinue to pursue a military modernization program 2 that seeks Indo-Pacific regional hegemony in the 3 near-term and displacement of the United States to 4 achieve global preeminence in the future. 5 (5) A critical objective of the defense strategy 6 of the United States is to set the military of the 7 People’s Republic of China on a path toward trans- 8 parency and nonaggression. 9 (6) The People’s Republic of China uses eco- 10 nomic inducements and penalties, influence oper- 11 ations, and implied military threats to persuade 12 other countries to heed the political and security 13 agenda of the People’s Republic of China. 14 (7) United States allies and partners are crit- 15 ical to effective competition with the People’s Repub- 16 lic of China. 17 SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 18 It is the policy of the United States— 19 (1) to expand military, diplomatic, and eco- 20 nomic alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific 21 region and with Europe and like-minded countries 22 around the globe that are critical to effective com- 23 petition with the People’s Republic of China; 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 Jan 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2547.RFH S2547 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 S 2547 RFH (2) to develop, in collaboration with such allies 1 and partners, a unified approach to addressing and 2 deterring significant diplomatic, economic, and mili- 3 tary challenges posed by the People’s Republic of 4 China; and 5 (3) to promote, in partnership with like-minded 6 countries around the globe, the values of democracy 7 and human rights. 8 Passed the Senate January 14, 2020. Attest: JULIE E. ADAMS, Secretary. VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 Jan 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2547.RFH S2547 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS