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[114th Congress Public Law 291]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

[[Page 130 STAT. 1497]]

Public Law 114-291
114th Congress

                                 An Act

 
To increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean region, the 
   Caribbean diaspora community in the United States, and the private 
 sector and civil society in both the United States and the Caribbean, 
     and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 16, 2016 -  [H.R. 4939]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: United States-
Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016. 22 USC 2151 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Caribbean Strategic 
Engagement Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States to 
increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean region and 
with civil society, including the private sector, in both the United 
States and the Caribbean, in a concerted effort to--
            (1) enhance diplomatic relations between the United States 
        and the Caribbean region;
            (2) increase economic cooperation between the United States 
        and the Caribbean region;
            (3) support regional economic, political, and security 
        integration efforts in the Caribbean region;
            (4) encourage enduring economic development and increased 
        regional economic diversification and global competitiveness;
            (5) reduce levels of crime and violence, curb the 
        trafficking of illicit drugs, strengthen the rule of law, and 
        improve citizen security;
            (6) improve energy security by increasing access to diverse, 
        reliable, and affordable power;
            (7) advance cooperation on democracy and human rights at 
        multilateral fora;
            (8) continue support for public health advances and 
        cooperation on health concerns and threats to the Caribbean 
        region; and
            (9) expand Internet access throughout the region, especially 
        to countries lacking the appropriate infrastructure.
SEC. 3. <<NOTE: Deadline. Coordination.>>  STRATEGY.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the 
United States Agency for International Development (USAID), shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a multi-year strategy for 
United States engagement to support the efforts of interested nations in 
the Caribbean region that--

[[Page 130 STAT. 1498]]

            (1) identifies Department of State and USAID priorities, in 
        coordination with other executive branch agencies, for United 
        States policy towards the Caribbean region;
            (2) outlines an approach to partner with governments of the 
        Caribbean region to improve citizen security, reduce the 
        trafficking of illicit drugs, strengthen the rule of law, and 
        improve the effectiveness and longevity of the Caribbean Basin 
        Security Initiative;
            (3) establishes a comprehensive, integrated, multi-year 
        strategy to encourage efforts of the Caribbean region to 
        implement regional and national strategies that improve energy 
        security, by increasing access to all available sources of 
        energy, including by taking advantage of the indigenous energy 
        sources of the Caribbean and the ongoing energy revolution in 
        the United States;
            (4) outlines an approach to improve diplomatic engagement 
        with the governments of the Caribbean region, including with 
        respect to human rights and democracy;
            (5) Describes how the United States can develop an approach 
        to supporting Caribbean countries in efforts they are willing to 
        undertake with their own resources to diversify their economies;
            (6) describes ways to ensure the active participation of 
        citizens of the Caribbean in existing program and initiatives 
        administered by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational 
        and Cultural Affairs; and
            (7) reflects the input of other executive branch agencies, 
        as appropriate.
SEC. 4. BRIEFINGS.

    The Secretary of State shall offer to the appropriate congressional 
committees annual briefings that review Department of State efforts to 
implement the strategy for United States engagement with the Caribbean 
region in accordance with section 3.
SEC. 5. <<NOTE: President.>>  PROGRESS REPORT.

    Not later than 2 years after the submission of the strategy required 
under section 3, the President shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report on progress made toward implementing 
the strategy\\.
SEC. 6. REPORTING COST OFFSET.

    Section 601(c)(4) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
4001(c)(4)) is amended by striking ``the following:'' and all that 
follows through ``(B) A workforce plan'' and inserting ``a workforce 
plan''.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on 
        Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
            (2) Caribbean region.--The term ``Caribbean region'' means 
        the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative beneficiary countries.

[[Page 130 STAT. 1499]]

            (3) Security assistance.--The term ``security assistance'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 502B(d)(2) of the 
        Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(d)(2)).

    Approved December 16, 2016.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 4939:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016):
            June 13, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 9, considered and passed Senate, amended.
            Dec. 13, House concurred in Senate amendment.

                                  <all>
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