I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1802 
To authorize the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to enhance the United 
States-Caribbean security partnership, to prioritize natural disaster resil-
ience, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 27, 2023 
Mr. ESPAILLAT (for himself, Ms. SALAZAR, and Mr. GREEN of Tennessee) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on For-
eign Affairs 
A BILL 
To authorize the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to en-
hance the United States-Caribbean security partnership, 
to prioritize natural disaster resilience, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Caribbean Basin Secu-
rity Initiative Authorization Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(xiii) Trinidad and Tobago. 
(B) UPDATES.—The President or the Sec-
retary of State may add or remove one or more 
countries from the list under subparagraph (A) 
upon written notification to the appropriate 
congressional committees. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CARIBBEAN BASIN SECU-
RITY INITIATIVE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CARIBBEAN BASIN SE-
CURITY INITIATIVE.—The Secretary of State and the Ad-
ministrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development may carry out an initiative, to be known as 
the ‘‘Caribbean Basin Security Initiative’’, in beneficiary 
countries to achieve the purposes described in subsection 
(b). 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes described in this sub-
section are the following: 
(1) To promote citizen safety, security, and the 
rule of law in the Caribbean through increased stra-
tegic engagement with— 
(A) the governments of beneficiary coun-
tries; and 
(B) elements of local civil society, including 
the private sector, in such countries. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(2) To counter transnational criminal organiza-
tions and local gangs in beneficiary countries, in-
cluding through— 
(A) maritime and aerial security coopera-
tion, including— 
(i) assistance to strengthen capabili-
ties of maritime and aerial interdiction op-
erations in the Caribbean; and 
(ii) the provision of support systems 
and equipment, training, and maintenance; 
(B) cooperation on border and port secu-
rity, including support to strengthen capacity 
for screening and intercepting narcotics, weap-
ons, bulk cash, and other contraband at air-
ports and seaports; and 
(C) capacity building and the provision of 
equipment and support for operations tar-
geting— 
(i) the finances and illegal activities of 
such organizations and gangs; and 
(ii) the recruitment by such organiza-
tions and gangs of at-risk youth. 
(3) To advance law enforcement and justice sec-
tor capacity building and rule of law initiatives in 
beneficiary countries, including by— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(A) strengthening special prosecutorial of-
fices and providing technical assistance— 
(i) to combat corruption, money laun-
dering, human, firearms, and wildlife traf-
ficking, financial crimes, extortion, and 
human rights crimes; and 
(ii) to conduct asset forfeitures and 
criminal analysis; 
(B) supporting training for civilian police 
and appropriate security services in criminal in-
vestigations, best practices for citizen security, 
and the protection of human rights; 
(C) supporting capacity building for law 
enforcement and military units, including 
professionalization, anti-corruption and human 
rights training, vetting, and community-based 
policing; 
(D) supporting justice sector reform and 
strengthening of the rule of law, including— 
(i) capacity building for prosecutors, 
judges, and other justice officials; and 
(ii) support to increase the efficacy of 
criminal courts; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(E) 
strengthening 
cybersecurity 
and 
cybercrime 
cooperation, 
including 
capacity 
building and support for cybersecurity systems. 
(4) To promote crime prevention efforts in ben-
eficiary countries, particularly among at-risk-youth 
and 
other 
vulnerable 
populations, 
including 
through— 
(A) improving community and law enforce-
ment cooperation to improve the effectiveness 
and professionalism of police and increase mu-
tual trust; 
(B) increasing economic opportunities for 
at-risk youth and vulnerable populations, in-
cluding through workforce development training 
and remedial education programs for at-risk 
youth; 
(C) improving juvenile justice sectors 
through regulatory reforms, separating youth 
from traditional prison systems, and improving 
support and services in juvenile detention cen-
ters; and 
(D) the provision of assistance to popu-
lations vulnerable to being victims of extortion 
and crime by criminal networks. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(5) To strengthen the ability of the security 
sector in beneficiary countries to respond to and be-
come more resilient in the face of natural disasters, 
including by— 
(A) carrying out training exercises to en-
sure critical infrastructure and ports are able to 
come back online rapidly following natural dis-
asters; and 
(B) providing preparedness training to po-
lice and first responders. 
(6) To prioritize efforts to combat corruption 
and include anti-corruption components in programs 
in beneficiary countries, including by— 
(A) building the capacity of national jus-
tice systems and attorneys general to prosecute 
and try acts of corruption; 
(B) provide technical and financial assist-
ance to independent media and investigative re-
porting; 
(C) increasing the capacity of national law 
enforcement services to carry out anti-corrup-
tion investigations; and 
(D) encouraging cooperative agreements 
among the Department of State, other relevant 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
Federal departments and agencies, and the at-
torneys general of relevant countries. 
(7) To promote the rule of law in beneficiary 
countries and counter malign influence from authori-
tarian regimes, including China, Russia, Iran, Ven-
ezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, by— 
(A) monitoring security assistance from 
such authoritarian regimes and taking steps 
necessary to ensure that such assistance does 
not undermine or jeopardize United States se-
curity assistance; 
(B) evaluating and, as appropriate, re-
stricting the involvement of the United States 
in investment and infrastructure projects fi-
nanced by authoritarian regimes that might ob-
struct or otherwise impact United States secu-
rity assistance to beneficiary countries; 
(C) monitoring and restricting equipment 
and support from high-risk vendors of tele-
communications infrastructure in beneficiary 
countries; 
(D) countering disinformation by pro-
moting transparency and accountability from 
beneficiary countries; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(E) eliminating corruption linked to invest-
ment and infrastructure facilitated by authori-
tarian regimes through support for investment 
screening, competitive tendering and bidding 
processes, the implementation of investment 
law, and contractual transparency. 
(8) To support the effective branding and mes-
saging of United States security assistance and co-
operation in beneficiary countries, including by de-
veloping and implementing a public diplomacy strat-
egy for informing citizens of beneficiary countries 
about the benefits to their respective countries of 
United States security assistance and cooperation 
programs. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State 
and the United States Agency for International Develop-
ment $82,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 
2028 to carry out the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative 
to achieve the purposes described in subsection (b). 
SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 
in coordination with the Administrator of the United 
States Agency for International Development, shall submit 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
to the appropriate congressional committees an implemen-
tation plan that includes a timeline and stated objectives 
for actions to be taken in beneficiary countries with re-
spect to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The implementation plan required 
by subsection (a) shall include the following elements: 
(1) A multi-year strategy with a timeline, over-
view of objectives, and anticipated outcomes for the 
region and for each beneficiary country, with respect 
to each purpose described in section 3. 
(2) Specific, measurable benchmarks to track 
the progress of the Caribbean Basin Security Initia-
tive toward accomplishing the outcomes included 
under paragraph (1). 
(3) A plan for the delineation of the roles to be 
carried out by the Department of State, the United 
States Agency for International Development, the 
Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, 
and any other Federal department or agency in car-
rying out the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to 
prevent overlap and unintended competition between 
activities and resources. 
(4) A plan to coordinate and track all activities 
carried out under the Caribbean Basin Security Ini-
tiative among all relevant Federal departments and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
agencies, in accordance with the publication require-
ments described in section 4 of the Foreign Aid 
Transparency and Accountability Act of 2016 (22 
U.S.C. 2394c). 
(5) A description of the process for co-locating 
projects of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative 
funded by the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development and the Bureau of Inter-
national Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of 
the Department of State to ensure that crime pre-
vention funding and enforcement funding are used 
in the same localities as necessary. 
(6) An assessment of steps taken, as of the 
date on which the plan is submitted, to increase re-
gional coordination and collaboration between the 
law enforcement agencies of beneficiary countries 
and the Haitian National Police, and a framework 
with benchmarks for increasing such coordination 
and collaboration, in order to address the urgent se-
curity crisis in Haiti. 
(c) ANNUAL PROGRESS UPDATE.—Not later than 1 
year after the date on which the implementation plan re-
quired by subsection (a) is submitted, and annually there-
after, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Ad-
ministrator of the United States Agency for International 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a written description of results achieved 
through the Caribbean Basin Security Imitative, including 
with respect to— 
(1) the implementation of the strategy and 
plans described in paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of 
subsection (b); 
(2) compliance with, and progress related to, 
meeting the benchmarks described in paragraph (2) 
of subsection (b); and 
(3) funding statistics for the Caribbean Basin 
Security 
Initiative 
for 
the 
preceding 
year, 
disaggregated by country. 
SEC. 5. PROGRAMS AND STRATEGY TO INCREASE NATURAL 
DISASTER RESPONSE AND RESILIENCE. 
(a) PROGRAMS.—During the 5-year period beginning 
on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
United States Agency for International Development, the 
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Inter-Amer-
ican Foundation, and the Chief Executive Officer of the 
United States International Development Finance Cor-
poration, shall promote natural disaster response and re-
silience in beneficiary countries by carrying out programs 
for the following purposes: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(1) Encouraging coordination between bene-
ficiary countries and relevant Federal departments 
and agencies to provide expertise and information 
sharing. 
(2) Supporting the sharing of best practices on 
natural disaster resilience, including on constructing 
resilient infrastructure and rebuilding after natural 
disasters. 
(3) Improving rapid-response mechanisms and 
cross-government organizational preparedness for 
natural disasters. 
(b) STRATEGY.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 
in coordination with the Administrator of the United 
States Agency for International Development and in con-
sultation with the President and Chief Economic Officer 
of the Inter-American Foundation, the Chief Executive 
Officer of the United States International Development 
Finance Corporation, and nongovernmental organizations 
in beneficiary countries and in the United States, shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
strategy that incorporates specific, measurable bench-
marks— 
(1) to achieve the purposes described in sub-
section (a); and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(2) to inform citizens of beneficiary countries 
about the extent and benefits of United States as-
sistance to such countries. 
(c) ANNUAL PROGRESS UPDATE.—Not later than 1 
year after the date on which the strategy required by sub-
section (b) is submitted, and annually thereafter, the Sec-
retary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of 
the United States Agency for International Development, 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a written description of the progress made as of the date 
of such submission in meeting the benchmarks included 
in the strategy. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:31 Apr 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H1802.IH
H1802
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB