Title: Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative
This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative. The bill also authorizes various related programs.
The initiative shall seek to (1) enhance U.S. presence in the region by positioning U.S. capabilities to allow timely response to adversarial threats, (2) strengthen the capability of U.S. forces and regional allies and partners, and (3) meet objectives under the National Defense Strategy.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command may carry out social media-related activities to counter misinformation and propaganda in the region.
The bill also authorizes for FY2021 various activities and projects, including

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6613 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6613

  To direct the Secretary of Defense to strengthen the United States 
 commitment to the security of the Indo-Pacific region and to increase 
military readiness to defend the homeland and underwrite United States 
              national interests, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 23, 2020

Mr. Thornberry introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on 
 Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to 
      be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Defense to strengthen the United States 
 commitment to the security of the Indo-Pacific region and to increase 
military readiness to defend the homeland and underwrite United States 
              national interests, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Indo-Pacific 
Deterrence Initiative''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Sense of Congress regarding Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative.
Sec. 3. Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative.
    TITLE I--MATTERS RELATING TO INCREASED PRESENCE AND JOINT FORCE 
                               LETHALITY

Sec. 101. Missile defense capability and defense radar.
Sec. 102. Intelligence enhancements.
Sec. 103. Sense of Congress regarding rotational bomber presence.
Sec. 104. Increased undersea warfare capability.
Sec. 105. Special Operations Command Joint Task Force Indo-Pacific.
Sec. 106. Operation influence platform.
Sec. 107. Marine rotational forces.
Sec. 108. Sense of Congress on long-range precision fires.
   TITLE II--MATTERS RELATED TO ENHANCED PREPOSITIONING AND LOGISTICS

Sec. 201. Indo-Pacific contingency regional based cluster 
                            prepositioning kits.
Sec. 202. Ship prepositioning and surge.
Sec. 203. Munitions stocks and storage.
Sec. 204. Movement and coordination center in the Indo-Pacific region.
Sec. 205. Marine Prepositioning Force.
         TITLE III--MATTERS RELATING TO IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE

Sec. 301. Construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 302. Strategic construction projects.
TITLE IV--MATTERS RELATING TO STRENGTHENING ALLY AND PARTNER CAPABILITY

Sec. 401. Mission partner environment.
Sec. 402. Counter-terrorism information facility.
Sec. 403. Indo-PACOM and National Guard related engagements.
Sec. 404. Security cooperation and capacity building.
Sec. 405. Pacific Partnership.
           TITLE V--MATTERS RELATED TO EXERCISES AND TRAINING

Sec. 501. Joint exercise program.
Sec. 502. Training range exercise plan and design.
Sec. 503. Joint division level exercises.
Sec. 504. Training and exercises.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INDO-PACIFIC DETERRENCE INITIATIVE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Section 1251 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
        for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115-91), as amended by section 
        1253 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act 
        for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115-232), authorized the Indo-
        Pacific Stability Initiative to enhance the security and 
        stability of the Indo-Pacific region and required the 
        Department of Defense to provide a future years plan for the 
        activities, capabilities, and resources necessary to--
                    (A) increase the rotational and forward presence, 
                improve capabilities, and enhance the posture of the 
                United States Armed Forces in the Indo-Pacific region;
                    (B) improve military and defense infrastructure, 
                basing, logistics, and assured access in the Indo-
                Pacific region to enhance the responsiveness, 
                survivability, and operational resilience;
                    (C) enhance the storage and pre-positioning in the 
                Indo-Pacific region of equipment and munitions; and
                    (D) increase bilateral and multilateral military 
                training and exercises with allies and partners in the 
                Indo-Pacific region.
            (2) The European Deterrence Initiative, announced in 2014 
        as the European Reassurance Initiative with a total amount of 
        $21,800,000,000 in obligated funds and an additional 
        $4,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, has enabled the United 
        States to enhance the deterrence posture of the United States, 
        increase the readiness and responsiveness of United States 
        Armed Forces in Europe, support the collective defense and 
        security of NATO allies, and bolster the security and capacity 
        of allies and partners to address specific operational 
        challenges vis-a-vis Russia.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the security, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-
        Pacific region is vital to the United States national interests 
        and a coherent and strategic initiative, supported by 
        congressional appropriations, is necessary to compete and deter 
        adversaries in the region;
            (2) an initiative in the Indo-Pacific region that is 
        similar to the European Deterrence Initiative is necessary to 
        enhance United States presence and positioning, allow for 
        additional exercises, improve infrastructure and logistics, and 
        build allied and partner capacity to deter aggression, 
        strengthen ally and partner interoperability, and demonstrate 
        United States commitment to Indo-Pacific nations to address 
        specific operational challenges in the Pacific, especially vis-
        a-vis China;
            (3) the Department of Defense should carry out such an 
        initiative, as authorized by Congress under section 1251 of the 
        National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public 
        Law 115-91), as amended by section 1253 of the John S. McCain 
        National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public 
        Law 115-232), to implement the National Defense Strategy that 
        aims to defend and defeat against strategic competitors and 
        increase presence, enhance prepositioning, improve 
        infrastructure, increase exercises and training, and strengthen 
        ally and partner capability;
            (4) the Indo-Pacific Command's independent assessment to 
        Congress outlining the resourcing requirements to Regain the 
        Advantage establishes the linkages between the strategy, 
        required capacity, capabilities, and budgetary priorities; and
            (5) the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative, established 
        under section 3, will assist in resourcing budgetary priorities 
        and enhancing transparency and oversight of programs and 
        activities to increase deterrence and strengthen ally and 
        partner capability in the Indo-Pacific region and better enable 
        a coordinated and strategic plan for Department of Defense 
        programs.

SEC. 3. INDO-PACIFIC DETERRENCE INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--For the purpose of enhancing the United States 
deterrence and defense posture in the Indo-Pacific region, assuring 
allies and partners, and increasing capability and readiness to deter 
and defend against any aggression by an adversary, the Secretary of 
Defense shall carry out an initiative, to be known as the ``Indo-
Pacific Deterrence Initiative''. Under such initiative, the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) provide increased presence by positioning the right 
        capabilities in key locations in order to respond to 
        adversarial threats in a timely manner;
            (2) enhance prepositioning, infrastructure, and logistics;
            (3) strengthen the capability of United States forces and 
        allies and partners in the region;
            (4) increase readiness through training and exercises; and
            (5) exercise the authorities of the Secretary to meet 
        objectives under the National Defense Strategy.
    (b) Funding.--Amounts may be made available to carry out subsection 
(a) as follows:
            (1) For fiscal year 2021, $6,089,000,000, from amounts 
        authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Defense for 
        that fiscal year for Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide.
            (2) Not later than five days after the date on which the 
        President submits to Congress the budget for fiscal year 2022 
        and for each subsequent fiscal year, the Secretary of Defense, 
        in consultation with the Commander of United States Indo-
        Pacific Command, shall submit to Congress the estimated 
        expenditures and proposed appropriations included in the budget 
        for the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative. The budget shall 
        include proposed funding for each of the following with respect 
        to the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative:
                    (A) Presence and joint force lethality.
                    (B) Prepositioning and logistics.
                    (C) Infrastructure.
                    (D) Strengthening allies and partners in the Indo-
                Pacific region.
                    (E) Exercises and training.
                    (F) Procurements.
                    (G) Any other matters determined appropriate by the 
                Secretary of Defense.
    (c) End of Fiscal Year Report.--Not later than January 15, 2021, 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with 
the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees a report that contains a detailed 
summary of the activities and resources of the Indo-Pacific Deterrence 
Initiative referred to in subsections (a) and (b).
    (d) Briefing.--Not later than March 1, 2021, and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional 
defense committees a briefing on the status of all matters covered by 
the most recently submitted report required by section (c) and a 
preview of budget proposal and programs for the fiscal year subsequent 
to the fiscal year during which the briefing is conducted.
    (e) Budget Display Information.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
include a detailed budget display for the Indo-Pacific Deterrence 
Initiative referenced in subsection (a) and (b) in the materials 
submitted to Congress in support of the President's budget for fiscal 
year 2022 and for each subsequent fiscal year.

    TITLE I--MATTERS RELATING TO INCREASED PRESENCE AND JOINT FORCE 
                               LETHALITY

SEC. 101. MISSILE DEFENSE CAPABILITY AND DEFENSE RADAR.

    (a) Integrated Air and Missile Defense Enhancements.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $77,000,000 
for fiscal year 2021 for a permanent and persistent land-based 
integrated air and missile defense system and associated weapon 
delivery system on Guam.
    (b) Missile Defense Radar in Hawaii.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $162,000,000 for fiscal year 
2021 for a homeland defense radar in Hawaii.
    (c) Missile Defense Agency.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary of Defense $312,813,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the 
Missile Defense Agency for operations and maintenance and research, 
development, test, and evaluation, for the Indo-Pacific region.

SEC. 102. INTELLIGENCE ENHANCEMENTS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretaries of the 
military departments $378,557,000 for fiscal year for intelligence, 
surveillance, and reconnaissance capability to enhance indications and 
warnings, sensor packages, the development of future intelligence, 
surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms, and interoperable 
processing, exploitation, and dissemination architectures, for the 
United States Indo-Pacific Command.

SEC. 103. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ROTATIONAL BOMBER PRESENCE.

    It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense, in 
consultation with the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff 
of the Air Force, should take immediate steps to retain and maintain a 
rotational bomber presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

SEC. 104. INCREASED UNDERSEA WARFARE CAPABILITY.

    It is the sense of Congress that United States Indo-Pacific Command 
should maintain its advantage in undersea warfare and the Department of 
Defense should continue to make investments in additional attack 
submarines, munitions, and other anti-submarine warfare systems in the 
United States Indo-Pacific Command area of operations.

SEC. 105. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND JOINT TASK FORCE INDO-PACIFIC.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense 
$6,300,000 for fiscal year 2021 for Special Operations Command Indo-
Pacific to conduct information operations to support United States 
Indo-Pacific Command.

SEC. 106. OPERATION INFLUENCE PLATFORM.

    (a) In General.--The Commander of United States Indo-Pacific 
Command may carry out an operational influence platform that leverages 
social media and advanced online marketing techniques to counter 
misinformation and propaganda by malicious actors by delivering 
messages through traditional, digital, and emerging media in the Indo-
Pacific region.
    (b) Briefing.--Not later than February 1, 2021, the Commander of 
United States Indo-Pacific Command or the Secretary of Defense and 
Joint Staff shall provide to the congressional defense committees a 
briefing on the implementation of this section.
    (c) Coordination.--The Commander of United States Indo-Pacific 
Command or the Secretary of Defense and Joint Staff shall consult with 
the Secretary of State as appropriate to ensure that the operational 
influence platform is coordinated with other United States information 
statecraft initiatives and mechanisms, including the public diplomacy 
efforts of the Department of State, the counter propaganda and 
disinformation work of the Global Engagement Center, and relevant 
interagency coordination groups.

SEC. 107. MARINE ROTATIONAL FORCES.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Navy 
$105,977,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the Marine Corps to support a 
Marine Unit Deployment Program and rotational presence in the Indo-
Pacific region.

SEC. 108. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON LONG-RANGE PRECISION FIRES.

     It is the sense of Congress that each military department should 
continue developing long-range precision fires systems and develop a 
plan to posture the systems throughout the Indo-Pacific region, 
including with respect to both land-attack and anti-ship missiles to 
enhance joint force maneuver.

   TITLE II--MATTERS RELATED TO ENHANCED PREPOSITIONING AND LOGISTICS

SEC. 201. INDO-PACIFIC CONTINGENCY REGIONAL BASED CLUSTER 
              PREPOSITIONING KITS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that to set the 
theater and enable the execution of current operations, training, 
exercises, and contingencies, contingency regional based clusters 
prepositioning kits are necessary to provide theater-wide rapid 
response capability in the Indo-Pacific region.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of the Air Force $150,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2021 to provide contingency regional based cluster prepositioning 
kits to support the operations, actions, and activities of the Air 
Forces in the Indo-Pacific region.

SEC. 202. SHIP PREPOSITIONING AND SURGE.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Navy 
$497,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for ship prepositioning and surge 
capacity to the Indo-Pacific Command area of operations.

SEC. 203. MUNITIONS STOCKS AND STORAGE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall procure and 
proposition key munitions in the United States specifically for the 
United States Indo-Pacific Command area of operations for employment in 
the event of a contingency to address shortfalls in critical munitions 
inventories, including infrastructure modernization and improved 
prepositioning of munitions.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the funds authorized to be 
appropriated for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2021, not 
less than $819,000,000 shall be for the exclusive use in the Indo-
Pacific area of operations to carry out subsection (a).

SEC. 204. MOVEMENT AND COORDINATION CENTER IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION.

    (a) Authority To Establish.--The Secretary of Defense, with 
concurrence of the Secretary of State, may authorize--
            (1) the establishment of a movement and coordination center 
        for the Indo-Pacific region, to be known as the ``Movement 
        Coordination Center Pacific''; and
            (2) the participation of the Department of Defense in an 
        air and ship transport, air-to-air and ship-to-ship refueling, 
        and other exchanges of services programs of the Movement and 
        Coordination Center Pacific.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $1,120,000 for fiscal year 
2021 for the Movement Coordination Center Pacific.

SEC. 205. MARINE PREPOSITIONING FORCE.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commandant of the 
Marine Corps, $87,171,000 for fiscal year 2021 to support prepositioned 
logistics for Marine Propositioning Force to the Indo-Pacific area of 
operations.

         TITLE III--MATTERS RELATING TO IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE

SEC. 301. CONSTRUCTION AND LAND ACQUISITION PROJECTS.

    (a) Military Departments.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretaries of the military departments $1,162,972,000 for 
fiscal year 2021 for military construction, land acquisition, and 
military family housing functions.
    (b) Defense-Wide.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Defense $79,500,000 for fiscal year 2021 for military 
construction, Defense-wide, land acquisition, and military housing 
functions of the Department of Defense.
    (c) Required Military Construction Restoration.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense and to the 
Secretaries of the military departments for fiscal year 2021, 
$885,000,000, for required military construction restoration in the 
Indo-Pacific region.

SEC. 302. STRATEGIC CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commander of Indo-
Pacific Command $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for support for the 
planning and design of emergent posture requirements for the Indo-
Pacific theater.

TITLE IV--MATTERS RELATING TO STRENGTHENING ALLY AND PARTNER CAPABILITY

SEC. 401. MISSION PARTNER ENVIRONMENT.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense 
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for a program to enable communications 
capability and interoperability requirements to modernize 
communications architecture and systems with allies and partners in the 
Indo-Pacific region, including exercise planning, execution, and 
associated equipment purchasing costs.

SEC. 402. COUNTER-TERRORISM INFORMATION FACILITY.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense 
$2,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for technical support to build 
multilateral partnership capacity focused on counter-terrorism in the 
Indo-Pacific region.

SEC. 403. INDO-PACOM AND NATIONAL GUARD-RELATED ENGAGEMENTS.

    (a) In General.--The Commander of United States Indo-Pacific 
Command, in coordination with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau 
and the Adjutant General of each State participating in the National 
Guard State Partnership Program, shall seek to build partner capacity 
and interoperability through increased military-to-military 
engagements, National Guard Bureau pay and allowances, and traditional 
activities of the combatant commands.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $6,133,199 for fiscal year 
2021 to carry out this section.

SEC. 404. SECURITY COOPERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense 
$290,662,000 for fiscal year 2021 for security cooperation programs 
dedicated to the United States Indo-Pacific Command, including the 
Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative.

SEC. 405. PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense 
$5,380,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the annual multilateral 
humanitarian and civic assistance and disaster relief preparedness 
mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific region known as Pacific 
Partnership.

           TITLE V--MATTERS RELATED TO EXERCISES AND TRAINING

SEC. 501. JOINT EXERCISE PROGRAM.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense 
$128,452,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the enhancement of joint training 
and exercises through the Combatant Commanders Exercise Engagement and 
Training Transformation Program.

SEC. 502. TRAINING RANGE EXERCISE PLAN AND DESIGN.

    (a) Plan Required.--The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in 
coordination with the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command, 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to 
integrate all major test and training ranges in the United States Indo-
Pacific Command area of operations and to support future joint training 
and exercises to test operational capabilities and weapon systems. The 
plan shall provide for the incorporation of space and cyber activities 
into the training range exercise plan.
    (b) Authorization for Plan and Design Assessment.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $800,000 for 
fiscal year 2021 for associated plan and design assessment studies to 
implement the plan required under subsection (a).

SEC. 503. JOINT DIVISION LEVEL EXERCISES.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretaries of the 
military departments $364,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 to support 
United States Army Pacific, in coordination with United States Indo-
Pacific Command, the Service Components, and Service Headquarters, in 
leading a Division Level exercise in the Indo-Pacific region.

SEC. 504. TRAINING AND EXERCISES.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretaries of the 
military departments for fiscal year 2021, $507,747,000 for training 
and exercises in the Indo-Pacific area of operations.
                                 <all>