Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6613 To direct the Secretary of Defense to strengthen the United States commit- ment to the security of the Indo-Pacific region and to increase military readiness to defend the homeland and underwrite United States national interests, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 23, 2020 Mr. THORNBERRY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on For- eign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be sub- sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To direct the Secretary of Defense to strengthen the United States commitment to the security of the Indo-Pacific region and to increase military readiness to defend the homeland and underwrite United States national inter- ests, 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 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 4 ‘‘Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6613 IH (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 1 this Act is as follows: 2 Sec. 1. Short title. Sec. 2. Sense of Congress regarding Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative. Sec. 3. Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative. TITLE I—MATTERS RELATING TO INCREASED PRESENCE AND JOINT FORCE LETHALITY Sec. 101. Missile defense capability and defense radar. Sec. 102. Intelligence enhancements. Sec. 103. Sense of Congress regarding rotational bomber presence. Sec. 104. Increased undersea warfare capability. Sec. 105. Special Operations Command Joint Task Force Indo-Pacific. Sec. 106. Operation influence platform. Sec. 107. Marine rotational forces. Sec. 108. Sense of Congress on long-range precision fires. TITLE II—MATTERS RELATED TO ENHANCED PREPOSITIONING AND LOGISTICS Sec. 201. Indo-Pacific contingency regional based cluster prepositioning kits. Sec. 202. Ship prepositioning and surge. Sec. 203. Munitions stocks and storage. Sec. 204. Movement and coordination center in the Indo-Pacific region. Sec. 205. Marine Prepositioning Force. TITLE III—MATTERS RELATING TO IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE Sec. 301. Construction and land acquisition projects. Sec. 302. Strategic construction projects. TITLE IV—MATTERS RELATING TO STRENGTHENING ALLY AND PARTNER CAPABILITY Sec. 401. Mission partner environment. Sec. 402. Counter-terrorism information facility. Sec. 403. Indo-PACOM and National Guard related engagements. Sec. 404. Security cooperation and capacity building. Sec. 405. Pacific Partnership. TITLE V—MATTERS RELATED TO EXERCISES AND TRAINING Sec. 501. Joint exercise program. Sec. 502. Training range exercise plan and design. Sec. 503. Joint division level exercises. Sec. 504. Training and exercises. VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6211 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6613 IH SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INDO-PACIFIC 1 DETERRENCE INITIATIVE. 2 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find- 3 ings: 4 (1) Section 1251 of the National Defense Au- 5 thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 6 115–91), as amended by section 1253 of the John 7 S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for 8 Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232), authorized 9 the Indo-Pacific Stability Initiative to enhance the 10 security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region and 11 required the Department of Defense to provide a fu- 12 ture years plan for the activities, capabilities, and 13 resources necessary to— 14 (A) increase the rotational and forward 15 presence, improve capabilities, and enhance the 16 posture of the United States Armed Forces in 17 the Indo-Pacific region; 18 (B) improve military and defense infra- 19 structure, basing, logistics, and assured access 20 in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance the re- 21 sponsiveness, survivability, and operational re- 22 silience; 23 (C) enhance the storage and pre-posi- 24 tioning in the Indo-Pacific region of equipment 25 and munitions; and 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6613 IH (D) increase bilateral and multilateral mili- 1 tary training and exercises with allies and part- 2 ners in the Indo-Pacific region. 3 (2) The European Deterrence Initiative, an- 4 nounced in 2014 as the European Reassurance Ini- 5 tiative with a total amount of $21,800,000,000 in 6 obligated funds and an additional $4,500,000,000 7 for fiscal year 2021, has enabled the United States 8 to enhance the deterrence posture of the United 9 States, increase the readiness and responsiveness of 10 United States Armed Forces in Europe, support the 11 collective defense and security of NATO allies, and 12 bolster the security and capacity of allies and part- 13 ners to address specific operational challenges vis-a`- 14 vis Russia. 15 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con- 16 gress that— 17 (1) the security, stability, and prosperity of the 18 Indo-Pacific region is vital to the United States na- 19 tional interests and a coherent and strategic initia- 20 tive, supported by congressional appropriations, is 21 necessary to compete and deter adversaries in the 22 region; 23 (2) an initiative in the Indo-Pacific region that 24 is similar to the European Deterrence Initiative is 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 6613 IH necessary to enhance United States presence and po- 1 sitioning, allow for additional exercises, improve in- 2 frastructure and logistics, and build allied and part- 3 ner capacity to deter aggression, strengthen ally and 4 partner interoperability, and demonstrate United 5 States commitment to Indo-Pacific nations to ad- 6 dress specific operational challenges in the Pacific, 7 especially vis-a`-vis China; 8 (3) the Department of Defense should carry out 9 such an initiative, as authorized by Congress under 10 section 1251 of the National Defense Authorization 11 Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91), as 12 amended by section 1253 of the John S. McCain 13 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 14 2019 (Public Law 115–232), to implement the Na- 15 tional Defense Strategy that aims to defend and de- 16 feat against strategic competitors and increase pres- 17 ence, enhance prepositioning, improve infrastructure, 18 increase exercises and training, and strengthen ally 19 and partner capability; 20 (4) the Indo-Pacific Command’s independent 21 assessment to Congress outlining the resourcing re- 22 quirements to Regain the Advantage establishes the 23 linkages between the strategy, required capacity, ca- 24 pabilities, and budgetary priorities; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 6613 IH (5) the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative, es- 1 tablished under section 3, will assist in resourcing 2 budgetary priorities and enhancing transparency and 3 oversight of programs and activities to increase de- 4 terrence and strengthen ally and partner capability 5 in the Indo-Pacific region and better enable a co- 6 ordinated and strategic plan for Department of De- 7 fense programs. 8 SEC. 3. INDO-PACIFIC DETERRENCE INITIATIVE. 9 (a) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of enhancing the 10 United States deterrence and defense posture in the Indo- 11 Pacific region, assuring allies and partners, and increasing 12 capability and readiness to deter and defend against any 13 aggression by an adversary, the Secretary of Defense shall 14 carry out an initiative, to be known as the ‘‘Indo-Pacific 15 Deterrence Initiative’’. Under such initiative, the Sec- 16 retary shall— 17 (1) provide increased presence by positioning 18 the right capabilities in key locations in order to re- 19 spond to adversarial threats in a timely manner; 20 (2) enhance prepositioning, infrastructure, and 21 logistics; 22 (3) strengthen the capability of United States 23 forces and allies and partners in the region; 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 6613 IH (4) increase readiness through training and ex- 1 ercises; and 2 (5) exercise the authorities of the Secretary to 3 meet objectives under the National Defense Strat- 4 egy. 5 (b) FUNDING.—Amounts may be made available to 6 carry out subsection (a) as follows: 7 (1) For fiscal year 2021, $6,089,000,000, from 8 amounts authorized to be appropriated for the De- 9 partment of Defense for that fiscal year for Oper- 10 ation and Maintenance, Defense-wide. 11 (2) Not later than five days after the date on 12 which the President submits to Congress the budget 13 for fiscal year 2022 and for each subsequent fiscal 14 year, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with 15 the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Com- 16 mand, shall submit to Congress the estimated ex- 17 penditures and proposed appropriations included in 18 the budget for the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative. 19 The budget shall include proposed funding for each 20 of the following with respect to the Indo-Pacific De- 21 terrence Initiative: 22 (A) Presence and joint force lethality. 23 (B) Prepositioning and logistics. 24 (C) Infrastructure. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 8 •HR 6613 IH (D) Strengthening allies and partners in 1 the Indo-Pacific region. 2 (E) Exercises and training. 3 (F) Procurements. 4 (G) Any other matters determined appro- 5 priate by the Secretary of Defense. 6 (c) END OF FISCAL YEAR REPORT.—Not later than 7 January 15, 2021, and annually thereafter, the Secretary 8 of Defense, in consultation with the Commander of United 9 States Indo-Pacific Command, shall submit to the con- 10 gressional defense committees a report that contains a de- 11 tailed summary of the activities and resources of the Indo- 12 Pacific Deterrence Initiative referred to in subsections (a) 13 and (b). 14 (d) BRIEFING.—Not later than March 1, 2021, and 15 annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall provide 16 to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the 17 status of all matters covered by the most recently sub- 18 mitted report required by section (c) and a preview of 19 budget proposal and programs for the fiscal year subse- 20 quent to the fiscal year during which the briefing is con- 21 ducted. 22 (e) BUDGET DISPLAY INFORMATION.—The Secretary 23 of Defense shall include a detailed budget display for the 24 Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative referenced in subsection 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 9 •HR 6613 IH (a) and (b) in the materials submitted to Congress in sup- 1 port of the President’s budget for fiscal year 2022 and 2 for each subsequent fiscal year. 3 TITLE I—MATTERS RELATING 4 TO INCREASED PRESENCE 5 AND JOINT FORCE 6 LETHALITY 7 SEC. 101. MISSILE DEFENSE CAPABILITY AND DEFENSE 8 RADAR. 9 (a) INTEGRATED AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE EN- 10 HANCEMENTS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to 11 the Secretary of Defense $77,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 12 for a permanent and persistent land-based integrated air 13 and missile defense system and associated weapon delivery 14 system on Guam. 15 (b) MISSILE DEFENSE RADAR IN HAWAII.—There is 16 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense 17 $162,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for a homeland defense 18 radar in Hawaii. 19 (c) MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY.—There is author- 20 ized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense 21 $312,813,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the Missile Defense 22 Agency for operations and maintenance and research, de- 23 velopment, test, and evaluation, for the Indo-Pacific re- 24 gion. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 10 •HR 6613 IH SEC. 102. INTELLIGENCE ENHANCEMENTS. 1 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secre- 2 taries of the military departments $378,557,000 for fiscal 3 year for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance ca- 4 pability to enhance indications and warnings, sensor pack- 5 ages, the development of future intelligence, surveillance, 6 and reconnaissance platforms, and interoperable proc- 7 essing, exploitation, and dissemination architectures, for 8 the United States Indo-Pacific Command. 9 SEC. 103. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ROTATIONAL 10 BOMBER PRESENCE. 11 It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of De- 12 fense, in consultation with the Secretary of the Air Force 13 and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, should take imme- 14 diate steps to retain and maintain a rotational bomber 15 presence in the Indo-Pacific region. 16 SEC. 104. INCREASED UNDERSEA WARFARE CAPABILITY. 17 It is the sense of Congress that United States Indo- 18 Pacific Command should maintain its advantage in under- 19 sea warfare and the Department of Defense should con- 20 tinue to make investments in additional attack sub- 21 marines, munitions, and other anti-submarine warfare sys- 22 tems in the United States Indo-Pacific Command area of 23 operations. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6613.IH H6613 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 11 •HR 6613 IH SEC. 105. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND JOINT TASK 1 FORCE INDO-PACIFIC. 2 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec- 3 retary of Defense $6,300,000 for fiscal year 2021 for Spe- 4 cial Operations Command Indo-Pacific to conduct infor- 5 mation operations to support United States Indo-Pacific 6 Command. 7 SEC. 106. OPERATION INFLUENCE PLATFORM. 8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Commander of United States 9 Indo-Pacific Command may carry out an operational influ- 10 ence platform that leverages social media and advanced 11 online marketing techniques to counter misinformation 12 and propaganda by malicious actors by delivering mes- 13 sages through traditional, digital, and emerging media in 14 the Indo-Pacific region [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]