BLUE Pacific Act

Bill: 116-hr-7797
Sponsor: Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]
Introduced: 2020-07-27 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Australia
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Cultural exchanges and relations
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Disaster relief and insurance
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Economic development
Education programs funding
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Emergency planning and evacuation
Employment and training programs
Fiji
Food assistance and relief
Foreign aid and international relief
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Free trade and trade barriers
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health care quality
Health programs administration and funding
Human rights
Human trafficking
Hunting and fishing
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Infrastructure development
International exchange and broadcasting
International organizations and cooperation
Kiribati
Law enforcement administration and funding
Marine and inland water transportation
Marine pollution
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Military education and training
Multilateral development programs
National and community service
Natural disasters
Nauru
New Zealand
News media and reporting
Oceania
Pacific Ocean
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Rule of law and government transparency
Samoa
Sex offenses
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Solomon Islands
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Tonga
Trade agreements and negotiations
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security
Tuvalu
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
U.S. and foreign investments
Vanuatu
Water resources funding
Women in business
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: 

Boosting Long-term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific Act or BLUE Pacific Act

 
This bill requires the establishment or expansion of various diplomacy and aid programs related to the Pacific Islands, which include the Cook Islands, Fiji, Palau, and Vanuatu.
 
Provisions relating to security and law enforcement in the Pacific Islands include those requiring (1) the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to expand cross-border maritime law enforcement operations; (2) the State Department to expand International Law Enforcement Academies coverage (the academies provide training to law enforcement agencies in other countries); and (3) the State Department to implement a strategy to combat transnational crime, such as cybercrime and sex trafficking.
 
The bill also requires the implementation of development-related initiatives in the Pacific Islands, such as by requiring (1) the U.S. Trade Representative to implement a strategy to expand and diversify trade; (2) the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement a plan to increase the region's trade capacity; and (3) the USAID to implement programs to improve public health, education outcomes, and climate resilience. 
 
The bill also requires the development and implementation of programs related to press freedom in the Pacific Islands, such as a State Department strategy to strengthen the press and promote press freedom and a U.S. Agency for Global Media strategy to provide expanded media content.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-30
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3988-3989)
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Introduced in House