I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4939 

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. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 14, 2016 

Mr. ENGEL (for himself and Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

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. 

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 ‘‘United States–Carib5 bean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

2 Congress declares that it is the policy of the United 

3 States to increase engagement with the governments of 

4 the Caribbean region, the Caribbean diaspora community 

5 in the United States, and the private sector and civil soci6 ety in both the United States and the Caribbean in a con7 certed effort to— 

8 (1) enhance diplomatic relations between the 

9 United States and the Caribbean region; 

10 (2) increase economic cooperation between the 

11 United States and the Caribbean region; 

12 (3) support regional economic, political, and se13 curity integration efforts in the Caribbean region; 

14 (4) encourage sustainable economic develop15 ment and increased regional economic diversification 

16 and global competitiveness; 

17 (5) reduce levels of crime and violence, curb the 

18 trafficking of illicit drugs, strengthen the rule of law, 

19 and improve citizen security; 

20 (6) improve energy security by increasing access 

21 to diverse, reliable, affordable, and sustainable 

22 power; 

23 (7) advance cooperation on democracy and 

24 human rights in the Caribbean region and at multi25 lateral fora; and 


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1 (8) continue support for public health advances 

2 and cooperation on health concerns and threats to 

3 the Caribbean region. 

4 SEC. 3. STRATEGY. 

5 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact6 ment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination 

7 with the Administrator of the United States Agency for 

8 International Development (USAID), shall submit to the 

9 appropriate congressional committees a multi-year strat10 egy for United States engagement with the Caribbean re11 gion that— 

12 (1) identifies Department of State and USAID 

13 efforts, in coordination with other executive branch 

14 agencies, to prioritize United States policy towards 

15 the Caribbean region; 

16 (2) outlines an approach to broaden Depart17 ment of State and USAID outreach to the Carib18 bean diaspora community in the United States to 

19 promote their involvement and participation in the 

20 economic development and citizen security of the 

21 Caribbean region; 

22 (3) outlines an approach to partner with the 

23 governments of the Caribbean region to improve cit24 izen security, reduce the trafficking of illicit drugs, 

25 strengthen the rule of law, and improve the effectiveVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:20 Apr 19, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4939.IH H4939

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1 ness and sustainability of the Caribbean Basin Secu2 rity Initiative; 

3 (4) establishes a comprehensive, integrated, 

4 multi-year strategy to encourage the efforts of the 

5 Caribbean region to implement regional and national 

6 strategies that improve energy security by increasing 

7 access to diverse, reliable, affordable, and sustain8 able power, including significant renewable energy 

9 resources within the Caribbean region such as bio10 mass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, tidal, waste-to11 energy, and wind, and by taking advantage of the 

12 ongoing energy revolution in the Unites States; 

13 (5) outlines an approach to improve diplomatic 

14 engagement with the governments of the Caribbean 

15 region, including with respect to key votes on human 

16 rights and democracy at the United Nations and the 

17 Organization of American States; 

18 (6) develops an approach to assisting Caribbean 

19 countries in the diversification of their economies, 

20 the reduction of legal, technical, and administrative 

21 barriers that prevent the free flow of foreign direct 

22 investment and trade to and from each country and 

23 within the Caribbean region, and support for the 

24 training and employment of youth and citizens in 

25 marginalized communities; and 


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1 (7) reflects the input of other executive branch 

2 agencies, as appropriate. 

3 SEC. 4. BRIEFINGS. 

4 The Secretary of State shall provide annual briefings 

5 to the appropriate congressional committees that review 

6 Department of State efforts to implement the strategy for 

7 United States engagement with the Caribbean region in 

8 accordance with section 3. 

9 SEC. 5. PROGRESS REPORT. 

10 Not later than one year after the date of the enact11 ment of this Act and biennially thereafter, the President 

12 shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees 

13 a report on progress made toward to implementing the 

14 strategy for United States engagement with the Caribbean 

15 region in accordance with section 3. 

16 SEC. 6. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT 

17 ON CARIBBEAN BASIN SECURITY INITIATIVE. 

18 Not later than one year after the date of the enact19 ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 

20 States shall submit to the appropriate congressional com21 mittees a report that contains the following: 

22 (1) An evaluation of the Caribbean Basin Secu23 rity Initiative (CBSI) and the extent to which the 

24 CBSI has met Department of State and USAID 

25 benchmarks. 


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1 (2) An accounting of CBSI funding appro2 priated, obligated, and expended from fiscal year 

3 2010 through fiscal year 2016. 

4 (3) A breakdown of yearly CBSI assistance pro5 vided to each CBSI country. 

6 (4) A description of how CBSI is coordinated 

7 with other security assistance programs in the West8 ern Hemisphere, particularly the Merida Initiative 

9 and the Central America Regional Security Initia10 tive, and the role of the Department of State’s Sen11 ior Coordinator for the Citizen Security Initiatives in 

12 the Western Hemisphere in such coordination. 

13 (5) A description of all United States security 

14 assistance provided to the Caribbean region, exclu15 sive of assistance through CBSI. 

16 (6) Recommendations for legislative and execu17 tive action to make CBSI more effective and effi18 cient. 

19 SEC. 7. GAO REPORT ON DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT IN 

20 THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN. 

21 Not later than one year after the date of the enact22 ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 

23 States shall submit to the appropriate congressional com24 mittees a report that contains the following: 


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1 (1) An evaluation of United States diplomatic 

2 outreach from the United States embassy in Bar3 bados to the countries of Antigua and Barbuda, 

4 Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. 

5 Vincent, and the Grenadines. 

6 (2) A list of visits over the previous five years 

7 of personnel at the United States embassy in Bar8 bados to the countries of Antigua and Barbuda, 

9 Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. 

10 Vincent, and the Grenadines. 

11 (3) A description of how personnel at the 

12 United States embassy in Barbados have engaged 

13 with government officials and civil society organiza14 tions in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts 

15 and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and the Gren16 adines over the previous five years. 

17 (4) A description of how personnel at the 

18 United States embassy in Grenada have engaged 

19 with government officials and civil society organiza20 tions over the previous five years. 

21 SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS. 

22 In this Act: 

23 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT24 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com25 mittees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 


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1 the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

2 Foreign Relations of the Senate. 

3 (2) CARIBBEAN REGION.—The term ‘‘Caribbean 

4 region’’ means the Caribbean Basin Security Initia5 tive beneficiary countries. 

6 (3) SECURITY ASSISTANCE.—The term ‘‘secu7 rity assistance’’ has the meaning given such term in 

8 section 502B(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 

9 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(d)). 

Æ 


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