H. R. 2810—399 
(e) FORM.—Such plan shall be submitted in unclassified form, 
but may contain a classified annex. 
(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section may be 
construed to alter the shared goal of the United States, South 
Korea, and Japan for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. 
SEC. 1255. SENSE OF CONGRESS REAFFIRMING SECURITY COMMIT-
MENTS TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF JAPAN AND SOUTH 
KOREA AND TRILATERAL COOPERATION BETWEEN THE 
UNITED STATES, JAPAN, AND SOUTH KOREA. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the United States values its alliances with the Govern-
ments of Japan and the Republic of Korea, based on shared 
values of democracy, the rule of law, free and open markets, 
and respect for human rights; 
(2) the United States reaffirms its commitment to these 
alliances with Japan and South Korea, which are cornerstones 
for the preservation of peace and stability in the Indo-Asia- 
Pacific region and throughout the world; 
(3) the United States recognizes the substantial financial 
commitments of Japan and South Korea to the maintenance 
of United States forces in these countries, making them among 
the most significant burden-sharing partners of the United 
States; 
(4) the United States, South Korea, and Japan are indispen-
sable partners in tackling global challenges, including com-
bating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, pre-
venting piracy, assisting the victims of conflict and disaster 
worldwide, safeguarding maritime security, and ensuring 
freedom of navigation, commerce, and overflight in the Indo- 
Asia-Pacific region; 
(5) the United States reaffirms its commitment to Article 
V of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between 
the United States of America and Japan, which applies to 
the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands; 
(6) although the United States Government does not take 
a position on sovereignty of the Senkaku Islands, the United 
States acknowledges that the islands are under the administra-
tion of Japan and opposes any unilateral actions that would 
seek to undermine their administration by Japan, and any 
such unilateral actions of a third party will not affect United 
States’ acknowledgement of the administration of Japan over 
the Senkaku Islands; 
(7) the United States supports continued strengthening 
of defense cooperation with Japan in accordance with the 2015 
U.S.-Japan Defense Guidelines and additional measures to 
strengthen this defense cooperation, including by expanding 
foreign military sales, establishing new cooperative technology 
development programs, increasing military exercises, or other 
actions as appropriate; 
(8) the United States and South Korea share deep concerns 
that the nuclear and ballistic missile programs of North Korea 
and its repeated provocations pose great threats to peace and 
stability on the Korean Peninsula, and the United States recog-
nizes that South Korea has made important commitments to 
the bilateral security alliance, including by hosting a Terminal 
High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system;
H. R. 2810—400 
(9) the United States and South Korea should continue 
further defense cooperation, by enhancing mutual security 
based on the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States 
and the Republic of Korea and investing in capabilities critical 
to the combined defense; 
(10) the United States should closely consult and coordinate 
with South Korea on measures to strengthen the alliance and 
defend against provocations committed by the North Korean 
regime; 
(11) the United States welcomes greater security coopera-
tion with, and among, Japan and South Korea to promote 
mutual interests and address shared concerns, including the 
bilateral military intelligence-sharing pact between Japan and 
South Korea, signed on November 23, 2016, and the trilateral 
intelligence sharing agreement between the United States, 
Japan, and South Korea, signed on December 29, 2015; and 
(12) recognizing that North Korea poses a threat to each 
of the United States, Japan, and South Korea, and that the 
security of the three countries is intertwined, the United States 
welcomes and encourages deeper trilateral defense coordination 
and 
cooperation, 
including 
through 
expanded 
exercises, 
training, and information sharing that strengthens integration. 
SEC. 1256. STRATEGY ON NORTH KOREA. 
(a) REPORT ON STRATEGY REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall 
submit to Congress a report setting forth the strategy of the United 
States with respect to North Korea. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection (a) shall 
include the following: 
(1) A description and assessment of the primary threats 
to United States national security interests from North Korea. 
(2) A description of known foreign nation, foreign entity, 
or individual violations of current United Nations sanctions 
against North Korea, together with parameters for determining 
whether and on what timeline it serves United States interests 
to target such violators with unilateral secondary sanctions. 
(3) A description of the diplomatic, economic, and trade 
relationships between China and North Korea and between 
Russia and North Korea, including trends in such relationships 
and their impact on the Government of North Korea. 
(4) An identification of the diplomatic, economic, and secu-
rity objectives for the Korean Peninsula and the desired end 
state in North Korea with respect to the security threats ema-
nating from North Korea. 
(5) A detailed roadmap to reach the objectives and end 
state identified pursuant to paragraph (4), including timelines 
for each element of the roadmap. 
(6) A description of the unilateral and multilateral options 
available to the United States regarding North Korea, together 
with an assessment of the degree to which such options would 
impose costs on North Korea. 
(7) A description of the resources and authorities necessary 
to carry out the roadmap described in paragraph (5). 
(8) A description of operational plans and associated mili-
tary requirements for the protection of United States interests 
with respect to North Korea.
H. R. 2810—401 
(9) An identification of any capability or resource gaps 
that would affect the implementation of the strategy described 
in subsection (a), and a mitigation plan to address such gaps. 
(10) An assessment of current and desired partner contribu-
tions to countering threats from North Korea, and a plan to 
enhance cooperation among countries with shared security 
interests with respect to North Korea. 
(11) Any other matters the President considers appropriate. 
(c) ANNUAL UPDATES.—The President shall submit to Congress 
in writing on an annual basis a report describing and assessing 
progress in the implementation of the strategy described in sub-
section (a). 
(d) FORM.—The report under subsection (a) and each report 
under subsection (c) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
may include a classified annex. 
SEC. 1257. NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC 
MISSILES. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional 
defense committees a briefing on the hazards or risks posed directly 
or indirectly by the nuclear ambitions of North Korea, focusing 
upon— 
(1) the development and deployment of intercontinental 
ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons; 
(2) the consequences to the United States, the interests 
of the United States, and allies of the United States of North 
Korea’s nuclear and missile programs; 
(3) a plan to deter and defend against such threats from 
North Korea; 
(4) protecting vital interest and capabilities of the United 
States in space from such threats from North Korea; and 
(5) the potential damage or destruction caused by electro-
magnetic pulse weapons. 
SEC. 1258. ADVANCEMENTS IN DEFENSE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE 
UNITED STATES AND INDIA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1292(a) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for the Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 
130 Stat. 2559; 22 U.S.C. 2751 note) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (E), by inserting before the semi-
colon at the end the following: ‘‘, and to advance the 
Communications Interoperability and Security Memo-
randum of Agreement and The Basic Exchange and 
Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Cooperation’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (H), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(C) in subparagraph (I), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘, including common security, and to 
enhance role of United States partners and allies in the 
defense relationship between the United States and India;’’; 
and 
(D) by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graphs: 
‘‘(J) support joint exercises, operations, and patrols 
and mutual defense planning with India; 
‘‘(K) work with representatives of the Government of 
the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Government
H. R. 2810—402 
of India to promote stability and development in Afghani-
stan; and 
‘‘(L) support such other matters with respect to defense 
and security cooperation with India that the Secretary 
of Defense or the Secretary of State consider appropriate.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following 
new sentence: ‘‘The report shall also include a forward-looking 
strategy on enhancing defense and security cooperation with 
India.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) REPORT FORM.—The report required by paragraph (2) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a 
classified annex.’’. 
(b) INTERAGENCY DEFINITION
OF INDIA
AS MAJOR DEFENSE 
PARTNER.—The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and 
the Secretary of Commerce shall jointly produce a common defini-
tion that recognizes India’s status as a ‘‘Major Defense Partner’’ 
for joint use by the Department of Defense, the Department of 
State, and the Department of Commerce. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENHANCED COOPERATION.— 
(1) DESIGNATION OF RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—Not later 
than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State jointly 
shall make the designation required by paragraph (1)(B) of 
section 1292(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2017. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
DUTIES.—Paragraph (1)(B) of section 
1292(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2017 is amended— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in clause (ii), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new clause: 
‘‘(iii) to promote United States defense trade with 
India for the benefit of job creation and commercial 
competitiveness in the United States;’’. 
(3) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and every year thereafter, appro-
priate officials of the Office of the Secretary of Defense and 
appropriate officials of the Department of State shall brief 
the appropriate committees of Congress on the actions of the 
Department of Defense and the Department of State, respec-
tively, to promote defense cooperation between the United 
States and India and the duties specified in paragraph (1)(B) 
of section 1292(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2017 (as amended by paragraph (2) of this 
subsection). The requirement for briefings under this paragraph 
shall cease on the date of the designation of an individual 
pursuant to paragraph (1). 
(4) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DEFINED.—In 
this subsection, the term ‘‘appropriate committees of Congress’’ 
means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Com-
mittee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.