IIB 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1632 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
AN ACT 
To require a strategy for engagement with Southeast Asia 
and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:30 Sep 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1632.RFS
H1632
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 1632 RFS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Southeast Asia Strat-
egy Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Southeast Asia is the fulcrum of the Indo- 
Pacific region, providing both a geographic and mar-
itime link between East and South Asia. 
(2) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations 
(ASEAN), a regional intergovernmental organiza-
tion, remains central to the Indo-Pacific region’s in-
stitutional architecture and to United States foreign 
policy toward the region. 
(3) The United States has reaffirmed that the 
security and sovereignty of its Southeast Asian allies 
and partners, including a strong, independent 
ASEAN, remain vital to the security, prosperity, and 
stability of the Indo-Pacific region. 
(4) The United States has committed to con-
tinuing to deepen longstanding alliances and part-
nerships with a range of Southeast Asian nations, 
including by promoting our shared values, democ-
racy, human rights, and civil society. 
(5) Since the end of the Second World War, 
United States investments in strengthening alliances 
and partnerships with Southeast Asian nations have 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:30 Sep 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1632.RFS
H1632
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 1632 RFS
yielded tremendous returns for United States inter-
ests, as working with and through these alliances 
and partnerships have increased the region’s capac-
ity and capability to address common challenges. 
(6) ASEAN member states are critical United 
States security partners in preventing violent extre-
mism and protecting the freedom and openness of 
the maritime domain and in preventing the traf-
ficking of weapons of mass destruction. 
(7) ASEAN member states have contributed 
significantly to regional disaster monitoring and 
management and emergency response through initia-
tives such as the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for 
Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management, 
an inter-governmental organization that facilitates 
coordination and cooperation among ASEAN mem-
ber states and international organizations in times 
of emergency. 
(8) According to the 2018 ASEAN Business 
Outlook Survey, ASEAN member states are vital to 
the prosperity of the United States economy and ex-
ports to ASEAN economies support more than 
500,000 jobs in the United States. 
(9) The United States and ASEAN have re-
cently celebrated the 40th anniversary of their ties 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:30 Sep 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1632.RFS
H1632
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 1632 RFS
and established a new strategic partnership that will 
enhance cooperation across the economic, political- 
security, and people-to-people pillars of the relation-
ship. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States to— 
(1) deepen cooperation with ASEAN and 
ASEAN member states in the interest of promoting 
peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific re-
gion; 
(2) affirm the importance of ASEAN centrality 
and ASEAN-led mechanisms in the evolving institu-
tional architecture of the Indo-Pacific region; and 
(3) establish and communicate a comprehensive 
strategy toward the Indo-Pacific region that articu-
lates— 
(A) the role and importance of Southeast 
Asia to the United States; 
(B) the value of the United States-ASEAN 
relationship; 
(C) the mutual interests of all parties; 
(D) the concrete and material benefits all 
nations derive from strong United States en-
gagement and leadership in Southeast Asia; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:30 Sep 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1632.RFS
H1632
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 1632 RFS
(E) efforts to forge and maintain ASEAN 
consensus, especially on key issues of political 
and security concern to the region, such as the 
South China Sea. 
SEC. 4. STRATEGY FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SOUTHEAST 
ASIA AND ASEAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 
in consultation with the heads of other Federal depart-
ments and agencies as appropriate, shall develop and sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees a com-
prehensive strategy for engagement with Southeast Asia 
and ASEAN. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The strategy re-
quired by subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) A statement of enduring United States in-
terests in Southeast Asia and a description of efforts 
to bolster the effectiveness of ASEAN. 
(2) A description of efforts to— 
(A) deepen and expand Southeast Asian al-
liances, partnerships, and multilateral engage-
ments, including efforts to expand broad based 
and inclusive economic growth, security ties, se-
curity cooperation and interoperability, eco-
nomic connectivity, and expand opportunities 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:30 Sep 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1632.RFS
H1632
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 1632 RFS
for ASEAN to work with other like-minded 
partners in the region; and 
(B) encourage like-minded partners outside 
of the Indo-Pacific region to engage with 
ASEAN. 
(3) A summary of initiatives across the whole 
of the United States Government to strengthen the 
United States partnership with Southeast Asian na-
tions and ASEAN, including to promote broad based 
and inclusive economic growth, trade, investment, 
energy and efforts to combat climate change, public- 
private partnerships, physical and digital infrastruc-
ture development, education, disaster management, 
public health and economic and political diplomacy 
in Southeast Asia. 
(4) A summary of initiatives across the whole 
of the United States Government to enhance the ca-
pacity of Southeast Asian nations with respect to en-
forcing international law and multilateral sanctions, 
and initiatives to cooperate with ASEAN as an insti-
tution in these areas. 
(5) A summary of initiatives across the whole 
of the United States Government to promote human 
rights and democracy, to strengthen the rule of law, 
civil society, and transparent governance, and to 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:30 Sep 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1632.RFS
H1632
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 1632 RFS
protect the integrity of elections from outside influ-
ence. 
(6) A summary of initiatives to promote secu-
rity cooperation and security assistance within 
Southeast Asian nations, including— 
(A) maritime security and maritime do-
main awareness initiatives for protecting the 
maritime commons and supporting international 
law and freedom of navigation in the South 
China Sea; and 
(B) efforts to combat terrorism, human 
trafficking, piracy, and illegal fishing, and pro-
mote more open, reliable routes for sea lines of 
communication. 
(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:30 Sep 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1632.RFS
H1632
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
HR 1632 RFS
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 24, 
2019. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:30 Sep 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1632.RFS
H1632
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS