SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS TO REDUCE THE 
TOTAL 
NUMBER 
OF 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED FORCES SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY 
WHO ARE DEPLOYED TO THE REPUBLIC OF 
KOREA. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) it is in the United States national interest 
to maintain treaty alliances and its forward military 
presence in the Indo-Pacific region to deter conflict 
and preserve peace and security; 
(2) the United States fully stands behind com-
mitments to its allies in Northeast Asia as articu-
lated in the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the 
United States and the Republic of Korea and the 
Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between 
the United States and Japan; 
(3) the alliances between the United States and 
the Republic of Korea and between the United 
States and Japan form the bedrock of regional sta-
bility in the Indo-Pacific region, including with re-
spect to the threat posed by North Korea; 
(4) the withdrawal or significant reduction of 
United States Armed Forces from the Republic of 
Korea may risk upsetting the military balance in 
that region; and 
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(5) Congress should be consulted in advance of 
any significant changes to the status quo on the Ko-
rean Peninsula. 
(b) LIMITATION.—None of the funds made available 
to the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2019 may 
be used to reduce the total number of members of the 
United States Armed Forces serving on active duty who 
are deployed to the Republic of Korea below 22,000 un-
less— 
(1) the Secretary of Defense first submits to 
the appropriate congressional committees a report 
on— 
(A) the effect of such reduction on pre-
serving deterrence on the Korean Peninsula; 
(B) the anticipated reaction of North 
Korea to such reduction; 
(C) the effect of such reduction on increas-
ing incentives for the Republic of Korea to de-
velop an independent nuclear deterrent; 
(D) the effect of such reduction on the 
long-term military and economic partnership 
between the United States and the Republic of 
Korea and the United States and Japan, re-
spectively; and 
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(E) the effect of such reduction on the 
military balance between the United States and 
the People’s Republic of China and between the 
United States and the Russian Federation; 
(2) the Secretary of Defense, in consultation 
with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, first 
certifies to the appropriate congressional committees 
that— 
(A) such a reduction is in the national se-
curity interest of the United States and will not 
significantly undermine the security of United 
States allies in the region; 
(B) the Secretary has appropriately con-
sulted with allies of the United States, includ-
ing the Republic of Korea and Japan, regarding 
such a reduction; and 
(C) the Republic of Korea would be fully 
capable of defending itself and deterring a con-
flict on the Korean Peninsula following such a 
reduction; and 
(3) such a reduction supports and is consistent 
with the most current national defense strategy 
under section 113 of title 10, United States Code. 
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(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘relevant congressional 
committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate. 
Æ 
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