What This Bill Does
This bill creates the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, a program that lets the Secretary of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development work with 13 Caribbean countries to improve security and reduce crime. The bill also directs the government to help these countries prepare for and respond to natural disasters.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, Congress, and the governments and citizens of Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Key Provisions
• The government can use $82,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to run the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (Sec. 3(c)).
• The Secretary of State must submit a detailed implementation plan within 180 days that includes a multi-year strategy, measurable benchmarks to track progress, and a description of which government agencies do what work (Sec. 4).
• The program will help Caribbean countries fight transnational criminal organizations and local gangs through maritime security cooperation, border and port security assistance, and efforts targeting gang finances and youth recruitment (Sec. 3(b)(2)).
• The government must create and carry out programs to help beneficiary countries prepare for and respond to natural disasters, including sharing best practices on building resilient infrastructure (Sec. 5).
• The Secretary of State must submit written progress updates every year describing results achieved, whether the program is meeting its measurable goals, and how much money was spent in each country (Sec. 4(c)).
What Changes
The federal government gains authority to launch a new security assistance initiative focused on the Caribbean region. This allows the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to spend money on security cooperation, law enforcement training, crime prevention, natural disaster response programs, and anti-corruption efforts in 13 Caribbean nations. The government also commits to submitting detailed plans and annual progress reports to Congress about these activities.
Important Definitions
The bill defines "beneficiary countries" as 13 specific Caribbean nations: Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The President or Secretary of State can add or remove countries from this list by notifying Congress in writing (Sec. 2).
The bill also defines "appropriate congressional committees" as the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the House Committee on Appropriations (Sec. 2).
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1802
To authorize the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to enhance the United
States-Caribbean security partnership, to prioritize natural disaster resil-
ience, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 27, 2023
Mr. ESPAILLAT (for himself, Ms. SALAZAR, and Mr. GREEN of Tennessee) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on For-
eign Affairs
A BILL
To authorize the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to en-
hance the United States-Caribbean security partnership,
to prioritize natural disaster resilience, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Caribbean Basin Secu-
4
rity Initiative Authorization Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
6
In this Act:
7
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
2
•HR 1802 IH
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
1
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
2
mittees’’ means—
3
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations
4
and the Committee on Appropriations of the
5
Senate; and
6
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and
7
the Committee on Appropriations of the House
8
of Representatives.
9
(2) BENEFICIARY COUNTRIES.—
10
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘beneficiary
11
countries’’ means—
12
(i) Antigua and Barbuda;
13
(ii) the Bahamas;
14
(iii) Barbados;
15
(iv) Dominica;
16
(v) the Dominican Republic;
17
(vi) Grenada;
18
(vii) Guyana;
19
(viii) Jamaica;
20
(ix) Saint Lucia;
21
(x) Saint Kitts and Nevis;
22
(xi) Saint Vincent and the Grena-
23
dines;
24
(xii) Suriname; and
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
3
•HR 1802 IH
(xiii) Trinidad and Tobago.
1
(B) UPDATES.—The President or the Sec-
2
retary of State may add or remove one or more
3
countries from the list under subparagraph (A)
4
upon written notification to the appropriate
5
congressional committees.
6
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CARIBBEAN BASIN SECU-
7
RITY INITIATIVE.
8
(a) AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CARIBBEAN BASIN SE-
9
CURITY INITIATIVE.—The Secretary of State and the Ad-
10
ministrator of the United States Agency for International
11
Development may carry out an initiative, to be known as
12
the ‘‘Caribbean Basin Security Initiative’’, in beneficiary
13
countries to achieve the purposes described in subsection
14
(b).
15
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes described in this sub-
16
section are the following:
17
(1) To promote citizen safety, security, and the
18
rule of law in the Caribbean through increased stra-
19
tegic engagement with—
20
(A) the governments of beneficiary coun-
21
tries; and
22
(B) elements of local civil society, including
23
the private sector, in such countries.
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
4
•HR 1802 IH
(2) To counter transnational criminal organiza-
1
tions and local gangs in beneficiary countries, in-
2
cluding through—
3
(A) maritime and aerial security coopera-
4
tion, including—
5
(i) assistance to strengthen capabili-
6
ties of maritime and aerial interdiction op-
7
erations in the Caribbean; and
8
(ii) the provision of support systems
9
and equipment, training, and maintenance;
10
(B) cooperation on border and port secu-
11
rity, including support to strengthen capacity
12
for screening and intercepting narcotics, weap-
13
ons, bulk cash, and other contraband at air-
14
ports and seaports; and
15
(C) capacity building and the provision of
16
equipment and support for operations tar-
17
geting—
18
(i) the finances and illegal activities of
19
such organizations and gangs; and
20
(ii) the recruitment by such organiza-
21
tions and gangs of at-risk youth.
22
(3) To advance law enforcement and justice sec-
23
tor capacity building and rule of law initiatives in
24
beneficiary countries, including by—
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
5
•HR 1802 IH
(A) strengthening special prosecutorial of-
1
fices and providing technical assistance—
2
(i) to combat corruption, money laun-
3
dering, human, firearms, and wildlife traf-
4
ficking, financial crimes, extortion, and
5
human rights crimes; and
6
(ii) to conduct asset forfeitures and
7
criminal analysis;
8
(B) supporting training for civilian police
9
and appropriate security services in criminal in-
10
vestigations, best practices for citizen security,
11
and the protection of human rights;
12
(C) supporting capacity building for law
13
enforcement and military units, including
14
professionalization, anti-corruption and human
15
rights training, vetting, and community-based
16
policing;
17
(D) supporting justice sector reform and
18
strengthening of the rule of law, including—
19
(i) capacity building for prosecutors,
20
judges, and other justice officials; and
21
(ii) support to increase the efficacy of
22
criminal courts; and
23
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
6
•HR 1802 IH
(E)
strengthening
cybersecurity
and
1
cybercrime
cooperation,
including
capacity
2
building and support for cybersecurity systems.
3
(4) To promote crime prevention efforts in ben-
4
eficiary countries, particularly among at-risk-youth
5
and
other
vulnerable
populations,
including
6
through—
7
(A) improving community and law enforce-
8
ment cooperation to improve the effectiveness
9
and professionalism of police and increase mu-
10
tual trust;
11
(B) increasing economic opportunities for
12
at-risk youth and vulnerable populations, in-
13
cluding through workforce development training
14
and remedial education programs for at-risk
15
youth;
16
(C) improving juvenile justice sectors
17
through regulatory reforms, separating youth
18
from traditional prison systems, and improving
19
support and services in juvenile detention cen-
20
ters; and
21
(D) the provision of assistance to popu-
22
lations vulnerable to being victims of extortion
23
and crime by criminal networks.
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
7
•HR 1802 IH
(5) To strengthen the ability of the security
1
sector in beneficiary countries to respond to and be-
2
come more resilient in the face of natural disasters,
3
including by—
4
(A) carrying out training exercises to en-
5
sure critical infrastructure and ports are able to
6
come back online rapidly following natural dis-
7
asters; and
8
(B) providing preparedness training to po-
9
lice and first responders.
10
(6) To prioritize efforts to combat corruption
11
and include anti-corruption components in programs
12
in beneficiary countries, including by—
13
(A) building the capacity of national jus-
14
tice systems and attorneys general to prosecute
15
and try acts of corruption;
16
(B) provide technical and financial assist-
17
ance to independent media and investigative re-
18
porting;
19
(C) increasing the capacity of national law
20
enforcement services to carry out anti-corrup-
21
tion investigations; and
22
(D) encouraging cooperative agreements
23
among the Department of State, other relevant
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
8
•HR 1802 IH
Federal departments and agencies, and the at-
1
torneys general of relevant countries.
2
(7) To promote the rule of law in beneficiary
3
countries and counter malign influence from authori-
4
tarian regimes, including China, Russia, Iran, Ven-
5
ezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, by—
6
(A) monitoring security assistance from
7
such authoritarian regimes and taking steps
8
necessary to ensure that such assistance does
9
not undermine or jeopardize United States se-
10
curity assistance;
11
(B) evaluating and, as appropriate, re-
12
stricting the involvement of the United States
13
in investment and infrastructure projects fi-
14
nanced by authoritarian regimes that might ob-
15
struct or otherwise impact United States secu-
16
rity assistance to beneficiary countries;
17
(C) monitoring and restricting equipment
18
and support from high-risk vendors of tele-
19
communications infrastructure in beneficiary
20
countries;
21
(D) countering disinformation by pro-
22
moting transparency and accountability from
23
beneficiary countries; and
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
9
•HR 1802 IH
(E) eliminating corruption linked to invest-
1
ment and infrastructure facilitated by authori-
2
tarian regimes through support for investment
3
screening, competitive tendering and bidding
4
processes, the implementation of investment
5
law, and contractual transparency.
6
(8) To support the effective branding and mes-
7
saging of United States security assistance and co-
8
operation in beneficiary countries, including by de-
9
veloping and implementing a public diplomacy strat-
10
egy for informing citizens of beneficiary countries
11
about the benefits to their respective countries of
12
United States security assistance and cooperation
13
programs.
14
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
15
authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State
16
and the United States Agency for International Develop-
17
ment $82,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through
18
2028 to carry out the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative
19
to achieve the purposes described in subsection (b).
20
SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
21
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the
22
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State,
23
in coordination with the Administrator of the United
24
States Agency for International Development, shall submit
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
10
•HR 1802 IH
to the appropriate congressional committees an implemen-
1
tation plan that includes a timeline and stated objectives
2
for actions to be taken in beneficiary countries with re-
3
spect to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.
4
(b) ELEMENTS.—The implementation plan required
5
by subsection (a) shall include the following elements:
6
(1) A multi-year strategy with a timeline, over-
7
view of objectives, and anticipated outcomes for the
8
region and for each beneficiary country, with respect
9
to each purpose described in section 3.
10
(2) Specific, measurable benchmarks to track
11
the progress of the Caribbean Basin Security Initia-
12
tive toward accomplishing the outcomes included
13
under paragraph (1).
14
(3) A plan for the delineation of the roles to be
15
carried out by the Department of State, the United
16
States Agency for International Development, the
17
Department of Justice, the Department of Defense,
18
and any other Federal department or agency in car-
19
rying out the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to
20
prevent overlap and unintended competition between
21
activities and resources.
22
(4) A plan to coordinate and track all activities
23
carried out under the Caribbean Basin Security Ini-
24
tiative among all relevant Federal departments and
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
11
•HR 1802 IH
agencies, in accordance with the publication require-
1
ments described in section 4 of the Foreign Aid
2
Transparency and Accountability Act of 2016 (22
3
U.S.C. 2394c).
4
(5) A description of the process for co-locating
5
projects of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative
6
funded by the United States Agency for Inter-
7
national Development and the Bureau of Inter-
8
national Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of
9
the Department of State to ensure that crime pre-
10
vention funding and enforcement funding are used
11
in the same localities as necessary.
12
(6) An assessment of steps taken, as of the
13
date on which the plan is submitted, to increase re-
14
gional coordination and collaboration between the
15
law enforcement agencies of beneficiary countries
16
and the Haitian National Police, and a framework
17
with benchmarks for increasing such coordination
18
and collaboration, in order to address the urgent se-
19
curity crisis in Haiti.
20
(c) ANNUAL PROGRESS UPDATE.—Not later than 1
21
year after the date on which the implementation plan re-
22
quired by subsection (a) is submitted, and annually there-
23
after, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Ad-
24
ministrator of the United States Agency for International
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
12
•HR 1802 IH
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congres-
1
sional committees a written description of results achieved
2
through the Caribbean Basin Security Imitative, including
3
with respect to—
4
(1) the implementation of the strategy and
5
plans described in paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of
6
subsection (b);
7
(2) compliance with, and progress related to,
8
meeting the benchmarks described in paragraph (2)
9
of subsection (b); and
10
(3) funding statistics for the Caribbean Basin
11
Security
Initiative
for
the
preceding
year,
12
disaggregated by country.
13
SEC. 5. PROGRAMS AND STRATEGY TO INCREASE NATURAL
14
DISASTER RESPONSE AND RESILIENCE.
15
(a) PROGRAMS.—During the 5-year period beginning
16
on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
17
of State, in consultation with the Administrator of the
18
United States Agency for International Development, the
19
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Inter-Amer-
20
ican Foundation, and the Chief Executive Officer of the
21
United States International Development Finance Cor-
22
poration, shall promote natural disaster response and re-
23
silience in beneficiary countries by carrying out programs
24
for the following purposes:
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
13
•HR 1802 IH
(1) Encouraging coordination between bene-
1
ficiary countries and relevant Federal departme
[Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]