II 

Calendar No. 713 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4939 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 14, 2016 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

DECEMBER 7, 2016 

Reported by Mr. CORKER, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

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. 

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’’. 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4939 RS

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 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4939 RS

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 00:54 Dec 08, 2016 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\H4939.RS H4939

lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 4939 RS

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 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 4939 RS

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 1 year after the date of the enactment 

11 of this Act and biennially thereafter for the following 4 

12 years, the President shall transmit to the appropriate con13 gressional committees a report on progress made toward 

14 to implementing the strategy for United States engage15 ment with the Caribbean region in accordance with section 

16 3. 

17 SEC. 6. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT 

18 ON CARIBBEAN BASIN SECURITY INITIATIVE. 

19 Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 

20 of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 

21 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 

22 a report that contains the following: 

23 (1) An evaluation of the Caribbean Basin Secu24 rity Initiative (CBSI) and the extent to which the 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 4939 RS

1 CBSI has met Department of State and USAID 

2 benchmarks. 

3 (2) An accounting of CBSI funding appro4 priated, obligated, and expended from fiscal year 

5 2010 through fiscal year 2016. 

6 (3) A breakdown of yearly CBSI assistance pro7 vided to each CBSI country. 

8 (4) A description of how CBSI is coordinated 

9 with other security assistance programs in the West10 ern Hemisphere, particularly the Merida Initiative 

11 and the Central America Regional Security Initia12 tive, and the role of the Department of State’s Sen13 ior Coordinator for the Citizen Security Initiatives in 

14 the Western Hemisphere in such coordination. 

15 (5) A description of all United States security 

16 assistance provided to the Caribbean region, exclu17 sive of assistance through CBSI. 

18 (6) Recommendations for legislative and execu19 tive action to make CBSI more effective and effi20 cient, as appropriate. 

21 SEC. 7. GAO REPORT ON DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT IN 

22 THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN. 

23 Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 

24 of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 4939 RS

1 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 

2 a report that contains the following: 

3 (1) An evaluation of United States diplomatic 

4 outreach from the United States embassy in Bar5 bados to the countries of Antigua and Barbuda, 

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

7 Vincent, and the Grenadines. 

8 (2) A list of visits over the previous 5 years of 

9 personnel at the United States embassy in Barbados 

10 to the countries of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, 

11 St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and 

12 the Grenadines. 

13 (3) A description of how personnel at the 

14 United States embassy in Barbados have engaged 

15 with government officials and civil society organiza16 tions in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts 

17 and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and the Gren18 adines over the previous 5 years. 

19 (4) A description of how personnel at the 

20 United States embassy in Grenada have engaged 

21 with government officials and civil society organiza22 tions over the previous 5 years. 

23 SEC. 8. REPORTING COST OFFSET. 

24 Paragraph (4) of section 601(c) of the Foreign Serv25 ice Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4001(c)) is amended in the 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 4939 RS

1 matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘the fol2 lowing:’’ and all that follows through ‘‘A workforce plan’’ 

3 and inserting ‘‘a workforce plan’’ and adjusting the mar4 gins accordingly. 

5 SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 

6 In this Act: 

7 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT8 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com9 mittees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 

10 the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

11 Foreign Relations of the Senate. 

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

13 region’’ means the Caribbean Basin Security Initia14 tive beneficiary countries. 

15 (3) SECURITY ASSISTANCE.—The term ‘‘secu16 rity assistance’’ has the meaning given such term in 

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

18 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(d)). 

19 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

20 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States–Carib21 bean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016’’. 

22 SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

23 Congress declares that it is the policy of the United 

24 States to increase engagement with the governments of the 

25 Caribbean region and with civil society, including the priVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:54 Dec 08, 2016 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H4939.RS H4939

lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
9 

•HR 4939 RS

1 vate sector, in both the United States and the Caribbean, 

2 in a concerted effort to— 

3 (1) enhance diplomatic relations between the 

4 United States and the Caribbean region; 

5 (2) increase economic cooperation between the 

6 United States and the Caribbean region; 

7 (3) support regional economic, political, and se8 curity integration efforts in the Caribbean region; 

9 (4) encourage enduring economic development 

10 and increased regional economic diversification and 

11 global competitiveness; 

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

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

14 and improve citizen security; 

15 (6) improve energy security by increasing access 

16 to diverse, reliable, and affordable power; 

17 (7) advance cooperation on democracy and 

18 human rights at multilateral fora; 

19 (8) continue support for public health advances 

20 and cooperation on health concerns and threats to the 

21 Caribbean region; and 

22 (9) expand Internet access throughout the region, 

23 especially to countries lacking the appropriate infra24 structure. 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
10 

•HR 4939 RS

1 SEC. 3. STRATEGY. 

2 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 

3 of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the 

4 Administrator of the United States Agency for Inter5 national Development (USAID), shall submit to the appro6 priate congressional committees a multi-year strategy for 

7 United States engagement to support the efforts of interested 

8 nations in the Caribbean region that— 

9 (1) identifies Department of State and USAID 

10 priorities, in coordination with other executive branch 

11 agencies, for United States policy towards the Carib12 bean region; 

13 (2) outlines an approach to partner with govern14 ments of the Caribbean region to improve citizen se15 curity, reduce the trafficking of illicit drugs, strength16 en the rule of law, and improve the effectiveness and 

17 longevity of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative; 

18 (3) establishes a comprehensive, integrated, 

19 multi-year strategy to encourage efforts of the Carib20 bean region to implement regional and national 

21 strategies that improve energy security, by increasing 

22 access to all available sources of energy, including by 

23 taking advantage of the indigenous energy sources of 

24 the Caribbean and the ongoing energy revolution in 

25 the United States; 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
11 

•HR 4939 RS

1 (4) outlines an approach to improve diplomatic 

2 engagement with the governments of the Caribbean re3 gion, including with respect to key votes on human 

4 rights and democracy at the United Nations and the 

5 Organization of American States; 

6 (5) Describes how the United States can develop 

7 an approach to supporting Caribbean countries in ef8 forts they are willing to undertake with their own re9 sources to diversify their economies; 

10 (6) describes ways to ensure the active participa11 tion of citizens of the Caribbean in existing program 

12 and initiatives administered by the Department of 

13 State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; 

14 and 

15 (7) reflects the input of other executive branch 

16 agencies, as appropriate. 

17 SEC. 4. BRIEFINGS. 

18 The Secretary of State shall offer to the appropriate 

19 congressional committees annual briefings that review De20 partment of State efforts to implement the strategy for 

21 United States engagement with the Caribbean region in ac22 cordance with section 3. 

23 SEC. 5. PROGRESS REPORT. 

24 Not later than 2 years after the submission of the strat25 egy required under section 3, the President shall submit to 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
12 

•HR 4939 RS

1 the appropriate congressional committees a report on 

2 progress made toward implementing the strategy. 

3 SEC. 6. REPORTING COST OFFSET. 

4 Section 601(c)(4) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 

5 (22 U.S.C. 4001(c)(4)) is amended by striking ‘‘the fol6 lowing:’’ and all that follows through ‘‘(B) A workforce 

7 plan’’ and inserting ‘‘a workforce plan’’. 

8 SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 

9 In this Act: 

10 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT11 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional commit12 tees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 

13 House of Representatives and the Committee on For14 eign Relations of the Senate. 

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

16 region’’ means the Caribbean Basin Security Initia17 tive beneficiary countries. 

18 (3) SECURITY ASSISTANCE.—The term ‘‘security 

19 assistance’’ has the meaning given such term in sec20 tion 502B(d)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 

21 (22 U.S.C. 2304(d)(2)). 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Calendar No. 713 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4939 

AN ACT 

To increase engagement with the governments of 

and the Caribbean, and for other purposes. sector and civil society in both the United States community in the United States, and the private the Caribbean region, the Caribbean diaspora 

DECEMBER 7, 2016 

Reported with an amendment 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS