Pacific Partnership Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3332
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- International Affairs
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-13: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:41:43Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Pacific Partnership Act aims to strengthen the United States' diplomatic, economic, security, and cultural ties with the Pacific Islands region. It promotes shared values like peace, prosperity, and resilience to challenges such as natural disasters and illegal fishing, while encouraging collaboration with regional allies and organizations.
Key Provisions
- Sense of Congress (Section 2): Expresses Congress's view on the importance of U.S. connections with Pacific Islands, referencing past national strategies (e.g., 2015 and 2017 National Security Strategies, 2019 and 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy Reports). It calls for a comprehensive U.S. policy that supports sovereignty, sustainable development, disaster resilience, democratic governance, human rights, and cultural preservation. The U.S. should work with regional bodies like the Pacific Islands Forum and allies such as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan.
- Strategy for Pacific Partnership (Section 3): Requires the President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to develop and submit a detailed strategy to Congress by January 1, 2026, and update it by January 1, 2030. The strategy must cover:
- Overarching goals for U.S. diplomacy, defense, and economic involvement.
- Assessment of regional threats, including natural disasters, illegal fishing, foreign military activities, development issues, economic coercion, corruption, and risks to U.S. interests.
- Plans to counter these threats and the resources needed.
- Coordination mechanisms with Pacific governments, regional forums, civil society, and U.S. territories/states.
- Consultations with U.S. agencies, regional organizations (e.g., Pacific Islands Forum, Pacific Community), Pacific governments, civil society, allies, and U.S. Pacific territories.
- Extension of Diplomatic Immunities (Section 4): Allows the International Organizations Immunities Act (which provides legal protections like immunity from lawsuits for international groups) to apply to the Pacific Islands Forum, similar to other U.S.-participating organizations, under the same terms and conditions.
- Coordination with Allies and Partners (Section 5): Directs the President and federal agencies to consult with allies (e.g., Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan) and regional institutions on aid programs for Pacific Islands. Goals include avoiding overlaps, respecting local capacity, maximizing benefits, and aligning with regional development plans. Establishes a formal process for ongoing coordination on current and future programs.
- Reporting Requirements (Section 6):
- Mandates annual updates to three existing reports (International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Improving International Fisheries Management Report, and Trafficking in Persons Report) to include discussions of transnational crime (e.g., drug trafficking, human smuggling, illegal fishing) affecting Pacific Islands.
- Amends a provision in the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 to expand a report on the Indo-Pacific region to cover implementation of U.S. strategies specifically for Pacific Islands.
- Definitions (Section 7): Clarifies terms like "appropriate congressional committees" (House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations Committees) and "Pacific Islands region" (nations, territories, and jurisdictions in Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- New Strategy Requirement: Introduces a mandatory, congressionally reviewed U.S. strategy focused on Pacific Islands, building on but expanding prior Indo-Pacific documents.
- Report Expansions: Adds Pacific Islands-specific content to annual reports on narcotics, fisheries, and human trafficking, broadening their scope without creating new reporting mandates.
- Immunity Extension: Applies existing international organization immunities to the Pacific Islands Forum, which previously lacked this status, facilitating smoother U.S. engagement.
- Indo-Pacific Report Modification: Updates language in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act to reference broader guidance documents and explicitly include Pacific Islands strategy implementation.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases workload for the State Department, Defense Department, and other agencies in developing strategies, consulting stakeholders, and updating reports. May require additional resources for diplomacy, aid coordination, and threat assessments, potentially leading to more funding requests.
- On Citizens: U.S. citizens in Pacific territories (e.g., Guam, American Samoa) could benefit from stronger regional ties, improved disaster response, and economic opportunities. Pacific Island residents may see enhanced U.S. support for health, environment, and security, reducing vulnerability to external influences.
- On International Relations: Bolsters U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific, countering influences from other powers (e.g., through anti-coercion measures). Promotes multilateral cooperation, potentially improving stability, trade routes, and resource management in the Pacific Ocean, while fostering alliances with partners like Australia and Japan.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Government: Executive branch (President, State Department) for strategy and coordination; Congress for oversight; agencies like Defense and USAID for implementation.
- Pacific Islands Nations and Territories: Governments and civil society in countries like Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and U.S. territories (e.g., Hawaii, Guam), gaining from aid, security, and development support.
- Regional and International Organizations: Pacific Islands Forum, Pacific Community, and others, receiving immunities and coordination benefits.
- Allies and Partners: Countries like Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan, involved in joint programming to avoid duplication and align goals.
- Civil Society and Private Sector: Non-governmental groups, businesses, and communities in the region, affected by enhanced focus on human rights, anti-corruption, and sustainable fishing/economic initiatives.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The immunity extension under the International Organizations Immunities Act provides the Pacific Islands Forum with protections (e.g., tax exemptions, legal immunity for officials), enabling deeper U.S. integration without new treaties. Report amendments ensure compliance with existing foreign assistance laws.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's powers over foreign affairs (Article I, Section 8) and the President's role in diplomacy (Article II), requiring executive submission to congressional committees for checks and balances.
- Political: Demonstrates bipartisan support (diverse cosponsors from both parties) for prioritizing the Pacific amid geopolitical tensions. It signals a strategic U.S. "rebalance" to the region, potentially influencing budget priorities and alliances, but avoids binding commitments that could limit flexibility. No major controversies noted, as it emphasizes cooperation over confrontation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (24)
Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large], Del. King-Hinds, Kimberlyn [R-MP-At Large], Rep. Womack, Steve [R-AR-3], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2], Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33], Rep. Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-13: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- 2025-05-13: Introduced in House
- 2025-05-13: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Pacific Partnership Act — issued 2025-05-13 — PDF (10 pages)