II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4650 

To establish the position of Special Envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 28, 2022 

Mr. KENNEDY (for himself and Mr. SCHATZ) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To establish the position of Special Envoy to the Pacific 

Islands Forum. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘U.S. and Pacific Is5 lands Forum Partnership Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The Pacific Islands Forum (referred to in 

9 this Act as ‘‘PIF’’) was established in 1971. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 4650 IS

1 (2) PIF is committed to accelerating economic 

2 growth, social progress, cultural development, and 

3 regional peace and stability. 

4 (3) The United States is committed to a free 

5 and open Indo-Pacific and to peace, security, and 

6 prosperity in the region. 

7 (4) The United States seeks to maintain and 

8 further develop a constructive and cordial relation9 ship with PIF and its member nations, including the 

10 Freely Associated States (the Marshall Islands, Mi11 cronesia, and Palau), which have special economic 

12 and security ties with the United States. 

13 (5) The United States seeks to contribute to re14 gional stability in the Pacific region through assist15 ance efforts to combat illegal fishing, enhance mari16 time security, build resilient infrastructure, and pro17 mote sound, just, and responsive governance within 

18 the Pacific region to empower citizens, help combat 

19 corruption, and strengthen nations’ autonomy. 

20 (6) The Smaller Island States of the Pacific Is21 lands Forum represent the most vulnerable of 

22 Forum Island Countries. 

23 (7) Increased United States diplomatic engage24 ment and developmental assistance can help alleviate 

25 the vulnerabilities linked to the small size of the 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 4650 IS

1 Smaller Island States, their lack of natural re2 sources, remoteness, and the range of development 

3 challenges that limit their capacity to ensure demo4 cratic, economic, and environmental resilience and 

5 long-term sustainable development. 

6 (8) It is in the long-term interest of the United 

7 States to maintain and expand a relationship with 

8 PIF and its member nations. 

9 (9) The United States does not have an Ambas10 sador or Special Envoy to PIF, which limits the abil11 ity of the United States and PIF to respond quickly 

12 and appropriately to events of mutual interest. 

13 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

14 It is the sense of Congress that— 

15 (1) the United States must increase its diplo16 matic activity and presence in the Pacific, particu17 larly among Pacific Island nations; and 

18 (2) the Special Envoy to the Pacific Islands 

19 Forum— 

20 (A) should be used to coordinate policies 

21 across the Pacific region with like-minded de22 mocracies; and 

23 (B) should have a direct line to the Presi24 dent and the Secretary of State to communicate 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 4650 IS

1 regarding the unique and particular needs of 

2 Pacific partner nations. 

3 SEC. 4. SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM. 

4 Section 1 of the State Department Basic Authorities 

5 Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a) is amended— 

6 (1) by redesignating subsection (h) (as added 

7 by section 361(a)(1) of division FF of Public Law 

8 116–260) as subsection (k); and 

9 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(l) SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS

11 FORUM.— 

12 ‘‘(1) APPOINTMENT.—The President shall ap13 point, by and with the advice and consent of the 

14 Senate, either the United States Ambassador to a 

15 country that is a member of the Pacific Islands 

16 Forum or another qualified individual to serve as 

17 Special Envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum (re18 ferred to in this section as the ‘Special Envoy’). If 

19 an Ambassador is appointed to serve as the Special 

20 Envoy pursuant this paragraph, he or she may not 

21 begin such service until after Senate confirmation to 

22 such position and shall serve concurrently as an Am23 bassador and as the Special Envoy without receiving 

24 additional compensation. 

25 ‘‘(2) DUTIES.—The Special Envoy shall— 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 4650 IS

1 ‘‘(A) represent the United States in its role 

2 as dialogue partner to the Pacific Islands 

3 Forum; and 

4 ‘‘(B) carry out such other duties as the 

5 President or the Secretary of State may pre6 scribe.’’. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS