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yielded tremendous returns for United States inter-
ests, as working with and through these alliances 
and partnerships have increased the region’s ability 
to address common challenges. 
(6) ASEAN member states are critical United 
States security partners in protecting the freedom 
and openness of the maritime domain and pre-
venting violent extremism and the trafficking 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 estab-
lished a new strategic partnership that will enhance 
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cooperation across the economic, political-security, 
and people-to-people pillars of the relationship. 
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 
(E) efforts to forge and maintain ASEAN 
consensus, especially on key issues of political 
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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 
for ASEAN to work with other like-minded 
partners in the region; and 
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(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 innovation and sustainability, public-private 
partnerships, physical and digital infrastructure de-
velopment, education, disaster management, public 
health and global health security, and economic, po-
litical, and public 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, to combat 
disinformation and to protect the integrity of elec-
tions from outside influence. 
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(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) DISTRIBUTION OF STRATEGY.—For the purposes 
of assuring allies and partners in Southeast Asia and 
deepening United States engagement with ASEAN, the 
Secretary of State shall direct each United States chief 
of mission to ASEAN and its member states to distribute 
the strategy required by subsection (a) to host govern-
ments. 
(d) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
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(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate. 
Passed the House of Representatives April 19, 2021. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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