IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 311 

Recognizing that for 50 years the Association of South East Asian Nations 

(ASEAN) has worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace in Southeast 

Asia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 3, 2017 

Mr. CASTRO of Texas (for himself and Mrs. WAGNER) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing that for 50 years the Association of South East 

Asian Nations (ASEAN) has worked toward stability, 

prosperity, and peace in Southeast Asia. 

Whereas the United States and the Association of South East 

Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its ten members—Brunei, 

Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—have worked 

together to advance our shared goals for 40 years, having 

established dialogue relations on September 10, 1977, 

with the issuing of the 1977 Joint Communique of the 

First ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue, and the United States acceding to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference Session with the United States in Thailand on 

July 22, 2009; 


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Whereas the United States was the first non-ASEAN country 

to appoint an ambassador to ASEAN on April 29, 2008, 

and the first dialogue partner to establish a permanent 

mission to ASEAN in 2010; 

Whereas the United States has supported efforts to strengthen the ASEAN Secretariat and expand its role in providing greater coordination among, and enhancing the effectiveness of, regional institutions; 

Whereas, working together, the Governments and people of 

the United States and ASEAN can help realize their 

common vision of a peaceful, prosperous, rules-based 

Asia-Pacific region that offers security, opportunity, and 

dignity to all of its citizens; 

Whereas ASEAN’s ten members, taken collectively, are the 

seventh-largest economy in the world, with an annual 

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $2.4 trillion, and represent the United States fourth-largest export market 

with total two-way trade in goods and services reaching 

$254 billion and accounting for more than 500,000 jobs 

in the United States; 

Whereas ASEAN’s ten members represent a diverse group of 

nations and dynamic economies with an expanding workforce, a growing middle class, and a diverse set of skills, 

cultures, and resources; 

Whereas ASEAN is home to critical global sea lanes located 

at the center of the world’s strongest economic growth 

area, with $5.3 trillion of global trade and more than half 

of total shipped tonnage transiting through ASEAN’s 

waters each year; 

Whereas ASEAN, taken collectively, is the third-fastest growing economy in Asia after China and India, expanding by 


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30 percent since 2007 and exceeding the global growth 

average for the past ten years; 

Whereas the ASEAN Economic Community aims to create 

one of the largest single market economies in the world, 

facilitating the free movement of goods, services, and professionals and engendering a sense of economic community among its member states; 

Whereas the United States is the largest investor in Southeast Asia, with total foreign direct investment stock of 

nearly $226 billion in 2014, creating millions of jobs in 

the United States and in ASEAN member states, while 

investment in the United States from Southeast Asia has 

increased more than any other region’s investment in the 

past decade; 

Whereas the United States has helped ASEAN create a Single Window customs facilitation system that will aid in 

expediting intra-ASEAN trade and make it easier for 

United States businesses to operate in the region; 

Whereas the U.S.-ASEAN Business Alliance for Competitive 

SMEs has already trained 4,600 small to medium enterprises, with nearly half of the individuals trained being 

young women entrepreneurs; 

Whereas United States-ASEAN development cooperation has 

focused on innovation and capacity-building efforts in 

technology, education, disaster management, food security, human rights, and trade facilitation; 

Whereas the Lower Mekong Initiative, established on July 

23, 2009, is a multinational effort that helps promote 

sustainable economic development in mainland Southeast 

Asia to foster integrated, multisectoral, subregional cooperation and capacity building; 


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Whereas the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the 

South China Sea (DOC) was signed by all members of 

ASEAN and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on 

November 4, 2002, committing ASEAN and the PRC to 

‘‘exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that 

would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace 

and stability,’’ and reaffirming ‘‘that the adoption of a 

code of conduct in the South China Sea would further 

promote peace and stability in the region and agree to 

work, on the basis of consensus, toward the eventual attainment of this objective’’; 

Whereas the leaders of the United States and ASEAN, at 

their Special Leaders Summit in Sunnylands, California, 

on February 16, 2016, reaffirmed their shared commitment to maintain peace, security, and stability in the region. 

Whereas the United States supports the East Asia Summit 

(EAS) as the premier leaders-led forum for dialogue and 

cooperation on political, security, and economic issues in 

the region and commends the direction set in the Kuala 

Lampur Declaration at the EAS 10th anniversary, including the new exchange mechanism for EAS members’ 

ambassadors; 

Whereas ASEAN is a partner to the United States on key 

transnational challenges, such as terrorism, violent extremism, environmental degradation, pollution, energy, infectious diseases, disarmament, proliferation of weapons 

of mass destruction, cybersecurity, trafficking in persons, 

illicit trafficking of wildlife and timber, and illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing; 

Whereas the United States, ASEAN, and other Dialogue 

Partners, through the 2015 East Asia Summit, adopted 


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a statement on transnational cyber issues that emphasizes the importance of regional cooperation to improve 

the security and stability of cyber networks, setting an 

important precedent for strengthening practical cooperation, risk reduction, and confidence building in cyberspace; 

Whereas the 2016 East Asia Summit in Vientiane adopted a 

statement on nonproliferation that reaffirmed the United 

States, ASEAN, and other Dialogue Partners’ leaders’ 

support for efforts at the national, regional, and international level to promote nuclear disarmament, nuclear 

nonproliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and 

reiterated the importance of nuclear security to combating nuclear terrorism; 

Whereas North Korea’s provocative missile launches and nuclear tests highlighted the threat posed by its nuclear and 

ballistic missile programs and contradicts calls by 

ASEAN leaders at the 2016 East Asia Summit in Vientiane for North Korea to abide by multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and international obligations; 

Whereas the ASEAN region has experienced natural disasters 

including Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar and Typhoon 

Haiyan in the Philippines; 

Whereas conservation and sustainable management of forests 

throughout ASEAN play an important role in helping to 

reduce the risks of extreme weather events and other natural disasters, and provide sustainable economic livelihood opportunities for local communities; 

Whereas the United States will pursue initiatives that are 

consistent with broader sustainable development goals, 


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including the achievement of food security and poverty alleviation throughout the ASEAN region; 

Whereas the United States is a committed partner with 

ASEAN on the protection of human rights, which are not 

only essential for fostering and maintaining stability, security, and good governance, but protecting the basic 

rights and fundamental dignities of the people of 

ASEAN; 

Whereas, on November 18, 2012, ASEAN member states 

came together and adopted an ASEAN Human Rights 

Declaration that, by its own terms, ‘‘affirms all the civil 

and political rights’’ and the ‘‘economic social and cultural rights’’ in the Universal Declaration of Human 

Rights; 

Whereas the United States supports the work and mandate 

of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human 

Rights (AICHR), including capacity building for the promotion and protection of human rights and the AICHR’s 

priorities programs, and activities; 

Whereas the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Program has 

now engaged over 100,000 people between the ages of 18 

and 35 across all ten ASEAN nations to promote innovation among young people while also providing skills to a 

new generation who will create and fill the jobs of the future; 

Whereas the irregular movement of persons continues to be 

one of the main security threats in the Southeast Asia region; 

Whereas addressing migration flows and combating human 

smuggling and human trafficking in ASEAN is an imporVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:24 May 04, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR311.IH HR311

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tant, ongoing challenge requiring increased coordination 

and shared responsibility; 

Whereas, on November 21, 2015, ASEAN member states 

signed the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in 

Persons, Especially Women and Children, which represents an important step forward in preventing human 

trafficking, prosecuting the perpetrators, and protecting 

the survivors; 

Whereas the United States supports ASEAN member states 

in anticorruption efforts through, among other initiatives, 

the implementation of the United Nations Convention 

Against Corruption; 

Whereas Vice President Pence traveled to Jakarta, Indonesia, 

on April 20, 2017, where he met with the ASEAN Secretary General and ASEAN Permanent Representatives, 

congratulated ASEAN on its 50th anniversary, and remarked on the 40th anniversary of the United States diplomatic relationship with ASEAN, noting that the U.S.- 

ASEAN relationship has ‘‘without a doubt has benefitted 

both ASEAN and America—diplomatically, economically, 

and from the standpoint of national security’’; 

Whereas, on this visit, Vice President Pence pledged that the 

United States would ‘‘redouble our cooperation with 

ASEAN on issues of regional security’’ and continue to 

support ‘‘increased information sharing and security efforts to protect our people and our way of life across the 

ASEAN region and across the wider world,’’ and ‘‘continue to work closely with ASEAN to promote peace and 

stability in the South China Sea by upholding a rulesbased order, ensuring the lawful and unimpeded flow of 

commerce, and encouraging the peaceful and diplomatic 

resolution of disputes.’’; 


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Whereas, on this visit, Vice President Pence remarked that 

‘‘By strengthening our economic ties, the United States 

and ASEAN member nations can foster jobs, prosperity, 

and growth in new and unprecedented ways.’’ and that 

‘‘American exports to ASEAN member nations already 

support more than 550,000 jobs in the United States, 

and almost 42,000 U.S. companies export more than 

$100 billion in goods and services to ASEAN nations 

every year.’’; and 

Whereas, on this visit, Vice President Pence announced that 

President Trump will attend the U.S.-ASEAN Summit, 

the East Asia Summit, and the APEC Leaders Meeting 

in Vietnam and the Philippines in November 2017: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) welcomes the leaders of the Association of 

3 South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the United 

4 States for the meetings with Secretary of State Rex 

5 Tillerson and members of Congress and affirms the 

6 meeting as the first of regular United States7 ASEAN meetings; 

8 (2) supports and affirms the elevation of the 

9 United States-ASEAN relationship to a strategic 

10 partnership and recommits the United States to 

11 ASEAN centrality and to helping to build a strong, 

12 stable, politically cohesive, economically integrated, 

13 and socially responsible ASEAN community with 

14 common rules, norms, procedures, and standards 


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1 consistent with international law and the principles 

2 of a rules-based Asia-Pacific community; 

3 (3) urges ASEAN to continue its efforts to fos4 ter greater integration and unity toward the ASEAN 

5 community; 

6 (4) recognizes the value of ASEAN working 

7 with economic, political, and security partners, such 

8 as Australia, Canada, the European Union, India, 

9 Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of 

10 Korea, and Taiwan both inside of and outside of 

11 Asia, as the advantage of strategic economic initia12 tives like the U.S.-ASEAN Connect that dem13 onstrate a commitment to ASEAN and the AEC and 

14 build upon economic relationships in the region; 

15 (5) reaffirms the enhancement of United 

16 States-ASEAN economic engagement, including the 

17 elimination of barriers to cross-border commerce, 

18 and supports the ASEAN Economic Community’s 

19 goals, including strong, inclusive, and sustainable 

20 growth and cooperation with the United States that 

21 focuses on innovation and capacity building efforts 

22 in technology, education, disaster management, food 

23 security, human rights, and trade facilitation, in24 cluding for ASEAN’s poorest countries; 


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1 (6) supports efforts by ASEAN member states 

2 to address maritime and territorial disputes in a 

3 constructive manner and to pursue claims through 

4 peaceful, diplomatic, and legitimate regional and 

5 international arbitration mechanisms, consistent 

6 with international law, including through the adop7 tion of a code of conduct in the South China Sea to 

8 further promote peace and stability in the region; 

9 (7) urges all parties to maritime and territorial 

10 disputes in the Asia-Pacific region, including the 

11 People’s Republic of China, to— 

12 (A) exercise self-restraint in the conduct of 

13 activities that would undermine stability or 

14 complicate or escalate disputes through the use 

15 of coercion, intimidation, or military force; and 

16 (B) refrain from new efforts to militarize 

17 uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, and other 

18 features, including but not limited to the con19 struction of new garrisons and facilities, and 

20 the relocation of additional military personnel, 

21 materiel, or equipment; 

22 (8) opposes actions by any country to prevent 

23 any other country from exercising its sovereign 

24 rights to the resources of the exclusive economic 

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1 force claims to those areas in the South China Sea 

2 that have no support in international law; 

3 (9) opposes unilateral declarations of adminis4 trative and military districts in contested areas in 

5 the South China Sea; 

6 (10) supports efforts to negotiate the joint 

7 management of maritime resources through diplo8 macy and peaceful negotiation; 

9 (11) urges parties to refrain from unilateral ac10 tions that cause permanent physical damage to the 

11 marine environment and supports the efforts of the 

12 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

13 and ASEAN to implement guidelines to address ille14 gal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the re15 gion; 

16 (12) supports efforts by United States partners 

17 and allies in ASEAN— 

18 (A) to enhance maritime capability and 

19 maritime domain awareness; 

20 (B) to protect unhindered access to and 

21 use of international waterways in the Asia-Pa22 cific region that are critical to ensuring the se23 curity and free flow of commerce; 

24 (C) to counter piracy; 


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1 (D) to disrupt illicit maritime trafficking 

2 activities such as the trafficking of persons, 

3 goods, and drugs; and 

4 (E) to enhance the maritime capabilities of 

5 countries or regional organizations to respond 

6 to emerging threats to maritime security in the 

7 Asia-Pacific region; 

8 (13) urges ASEAN member states to develop a 

9 common approach to reaffirm the decision of the 

10 Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague’s rul11 ing with respect to the case between the Republic of 

12 the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China; 

13 (14) reaffirms the commitment of the United 

14 States to continue joint efforts with ASEAN to halt 

15 human smuggling and trafficking in persons and 

16 urges ASEAN to make increased efforts to create 

17 and strengthen regional mechanisms to provide as18 sistance and support to refugees and migrants; 

19 (15) supports the Lower Mekong Initiative, 

20 which has made significant progress in promoting 

21 sustainable economic development in mainland 

22 Southeast Asia and fostering integrated subregional 

23 cooperation and capacity building; 

24 (16) urges ASEAN to build capacity for the 

25 promotion and protection of human rights by 


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1 ASEAN member states, and the implementation of 

2 related priorities, programs, and activities; 

3 (17) urges ASEAN governments to engage di4 rectly with leaders of civil society and human rights, 

5 including victims of human rights abuses, and 

6 prioritize the construction of forums that give these 

7 stakeholders a voice to instruct public policy; 

8 (18) encourages the President to communicate 

9 to ASEAN leaders the importance of protecting 

10 human rights, releasing political prisoners and end11 ing politically motivated prosecutions, strengthening 

12 civil society, safeguarding the freedom of the press, 

13 the freedom of assembly, and the free flow of infor14 mation and ideas, and promoting open and trans15 parent government; and 

16 (19) supports the Young Southeast Asian Lead17 ers Initiative program as an example of people-to18 people partnership building that provides skills, net19 works, and leadership capabilities to a new genera20 tion of people who will create and fill jobs, foster 

21 cross-border cooperation and partnerships, and rise 

22 to solve the regional and global challenges of the fu23 ture. 

Æ 


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