Asia-Pacific Defense Commission Act

Summary: Asia-Pacific Defense Commission Act This bill declares that it is U.S policy to continue to maintain a strong military posture in the Asia-Pacific region in order to reassure U.S. allies, deter aggression, and respond swiftly to crises. The Department of Defense (DOD) shall shall seek opportunities to enhance military training and exercises with U.S. allies in such region.  The bill authorizes the President to establish the Asia-Pacific Defense Commission to strengthen cooperation between the United States and its allies in such region to combat joint threats.  The commission may undertake activities to:   strengthen counterterrorism operations and building capacity to track, investigate, and prosecute individuals engaged in terrorist activities; improve regional maritime security and capabilities to interdict illegal arms shipments; bolster regional cybersecurity initiatives and protect critical infrastructure; strengthen military preparedness; facilitate defense-related transfers, subject to the requirements of the Arms Export Control Act; facilitate efforts to enhance training, preparedness, and operations by allies to address North Korean maritime weapons transfers; and  coordinate intelligence collected by the intelligence services of the countries participating in the commission, identify the most immediate threats to inform the security services of such countries, and create guidelines for the coordination of multilateral direct action against shared threats.   Calls for the U.S. Navy to regularize freedom of navigation operations, in accordance with international law, in the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands, in the South China Sea, and in regular ports of call at strategic ports in the Asia-Pacific region. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Asia-Pacific Defense Commission 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States has worked cooperatively with its 
        allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region for decades on 
        issues of mutual concern having regional and global strategic 
        and economic importance, including--
                    (A) deterring and confronting external aggression 
                against allies and partners;
                    (B) ensuring the free flow of energy and commerce, 
                and freedom of navigation in international waters;
                    (C) dismantling terrorist networks that threaten 
                the safety of the region;
                    (D) preventing the development, use, and 
                proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
                    (E) adapting to climate change and severe weather 
                events, including cooperation on humanitarian 
                assistance and disaster response; and
                    (F) promoting respect for the international liberal 
                order based on commonly respected norms and values.
            (2) The close security relationships between the United 
        States and its five treaty allies in the Asia-Pacific region--
        Australia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand--as 
        well as the security relationships between the United States 
        and its non-alliance security partners in the region remain 
        vital to the United States national interest and a cornerstone 
        of regional stability.
            (3) The United States opposes North Korea's illegal and 
        reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons.
            (4) Countering North Korea's destabilizing activities in 
        the region by diplomatic, economic, and defensive means is a 
        top national security issue for the United States as the threat 
        posed by North Korea endangers United States allies, threatens 
        to destabilize the Asia-Pacific region, and if unchecked, poses 
        a grave nuclear proliferation challenge to the world.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF ASIA-PACIFIC DEFENSE COMMISSION.

    (a) Statement of Policy.--
            (1) In general.--It is the policy of the United States to 
        continue to maintain a strong military posture in the Asia-
        Pacific region in order to reassure United States allies, deter 
        aggression, and respond swiftly to crises.
            (2) Enhanced military training and exercises.--The 
        Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of 
        State, shall seek opportunities to enhance military training 
        and exercises with United States allies in the Asia-Pacific 
        region to deepen cooperation between the militaries of the 
        United States and such allies, to expand operational 
        capabilities, and to encourage respect for human rights and the 
        rule of law.
    (b) Joint Defense Commission.--The President may establish a 
regional joint defense commission to be known as the Asia-Pacific 
Defense Commission. The purpose of the commission shall be to 
strengthen cooperation between the United States and its allies in the 
Asia-Pacific region to combat joint threats. The commission may 
undertake the following activities:
            (1) Strengthening counterterrorism operations and building 
        capacity to track, investigate, and prosecute individuals 
        engaged in terrorist activities.
            (2) Improving regional maritime security and capabilities 
        to interdict illegal arms shipments.
            (3) Bolstering regional cybersecurity initiatives and 
        protecting critical infrastructure.
            (4) Strengthening military preparedness.
            (5) Facilitating defense-related transfers, subject to the 
        requirements of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et 
        seq.).
            (6) Facilitating efforts to enhance training, preparedness, 
        and operations by allies to address North Korean maritime 
        weapons transfers.
            (7) Coordinating intelligence collected by the intelligence 
        services of the countries participating in the commission, 
        identify the most immediate threats to inform the security 
        services of such countries, and create guidelines for the 
        coordination of multilateral direct action against shared 
        threats.
    (c) Asia-Pacific Region.--In this section, the term ``Asia-Pacific 
region'' means the region corresponding to the area of responsibility 
of the United States Pacific Command, as defined by the Department of 
Defense unified command plan.
    (d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United 
States Navy should regularize freedom of navigation operations, in 
accordance with international law, in the Japanese-administered Senkaku 
Islands, in the South China Sea, and in regular ports of call at 
strategic ports in the Asia-Pacific region.