Western Hemisphere Security Strategy Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-1519
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2023-05-10
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-05-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-05-10
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Western Hemisphere Security Strategy Act of 2023</strong></p><p>This bill requires the Department of State and the Department of Defense (DOD) to implement a multiyear Western Hemisphere Security Strategy.</p><p>The strategy must include elements such as (1) a proposal for increasing U.S. bilateral and multilateral security assistance and cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean, (2) activities to counter transnational criminal organizations and malign influence from state actors, (3) efforts to expand bilateral and multinational military training exercises with partner countries, (4) humanitarian assistance and disaster relief initiatives, (5) continued support for State Department programs to ensure the safety and rights of women and girls, and (6) a detailed assessment of the resources to carry out the strategy.</p><p>The bill also requires the State Department to provide technical assistance to partner countries to help them address the long-term implications of investments in strategic sectors by entities controlled by adversarial governments, such as China and Russia.</p><p>The State Department and DOD must jointly report the strategy to Congress and also provide periodic briefings on the strategy's implementation. The State Department must also report to Congress on efforts by the Maduro regime of Venezuela to detain U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1519 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 10, 2023 Mr. Rubio (for himself and Mr. Cassidy ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To require a United States security strategy for the Western Hemisphere, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Western Hemisphere Security Strategy Act of 2023 . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the security, stability, prosperity, and state of democratic governance in the countries of the Western Hemisphere are vital to the national interests of the United States and to the national interests of such countries; (2) the harmful and malign influence in Latin America and the Caribbean of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran poses risks to— (A) the people and countries of the Western Hemisphere; and (B) the national interests of the United States; (3) the United States should expand its engagement in the Western Hemisphere by— (A) strengthening its alliances and partnerships with countries in the Western Hemisphere; (B) fostering security cooperation among countries in the Western Hemisphere to facilitate trade, investment, training, and humanitarian assistance in the near and long term; and (C) working with security and law enforcement agencies in the Western Hemisphere— (i) to address the shared challenges of— (I) narcotics trafficking, including the trafficking of fentanyl, the illicit use of which is now the leading cause of death among adults in the United States between the ages of 18 and 45 years; (II) human trafficking; (III) other forms of illicit trafficking; (IV) transnational criminal organizations; and (V) cybersecurity; and (ii) to support the rule of law, democracy, and human rights in the region; (4) the United States should maintain credible security capabilities dedicated to Latin America and the Caribbean— (A) to build partner country capacity; (B) to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; (C) to deter acts of aggression; and (D) to respond, if necessary, to regional threats and threats to the national security of the United States; and (5) the Department of State and the Department of Defense should continue to commit additional assets and increase investments in the Western Hemisphere so as to maintain robust United States security partnerships with countries in the region. 3. Security strategy for the Western Hemisphere (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a multi-year strategy, to be known as the Western Hemisphere Security Strategy — (1) to enhance diplomatic engagement and security assistance and cooperation; (2) to promote regional security and stability; and (3) to advance United States strategic interests in the Western Hemisphere. (b) Elements The strategy required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) A proposal for increasing and improving United States bilateral and multilateral security assistance and cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean. (2) Activities to build the defense and security capacity of partner countries in Latin America and the Caribbean so as to enable such countries to defend themselves against conventional and unconventional threats, including cyberattacks. (3) Activities to counter— (A) malign influence by state actors; (B) transnational criminal organizations with connections to— (i) illicit trafficking of gold, narcotics, and weapons; (ii) human trafficking and smuggling; and (iii) terrorism; and (C) corruption and kleptocracy in governments of countries in the Western Hemisphere. (4) Efforts to disrupt, degrade, and counter transnational illicit trafficking, with an emphasis on illicit narcotics and precursor chemicals that produce illicit narcotics. (5) Activities to increase transparency in, and support for, strong and accountable defense, security, and law enforcement institutions through institutional capacity-building efforts, including efforts to ensure respect for human rights and direction and oversight by civilian authorities. (6) Programs and initiatives to enhance public diplomacy and engagement with the people of the Western Hemisphere for the purpose of demonstrating that the security of their countries is enhanced to a greater extent if their countries are aligned with the United States and democratic values rather than with authoritarian countries such as the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and the Islamic Republic of Iran. (7) Efforts to expand bilateral and multinational military training exercises with partner countries in the Western Hemisphere. (8) Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief initiatives to support partner countries by promoting the development and growth of responsive institutions through activities such as— (A) the provision of appropriate equipment, training, and logistical support; (B) transportation of humanitarian supplies or personnel of foreign security forces; (C) making available, preparing, and transferring on-hand nonlethal supplies, and providing training on the use of such supplies, for humanitarian or health purposes to respond to unforeseen emergencies; (D) the provision of Department of State humanitarian demining assistance; and (E) conducting medical support operations and medical humanitarian missions, such as hospital ship deployments and base-operating services, to the extent required by the operation. (9) Continued support for the women, peace, and security initiatives of the Department of State to support the capacity of partner countries in the Western Hemisphere— (A) to ensure— (i) the safety and security of women and girls; and (ii) that the rights of women and girls are protected; and (B) to promote the meaningful participation of women in— (i) the defense and security sectors; and (ii) mediation and negotiation processes seeking to prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict, in accordance with the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 ( Public Law 115–68 ; 131 Stat. 1202). (10) Professional military education initiatives, such as the Department of State’s International Military and Education Training program. (11) A detailed assessment of the resources required to carry out such strategy and a plan to be executed not later than fiscal year 2024. (c) Implementation (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Western Hemisphere Security Strategy is submitted under subsection (a), the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall commence implementation of the strategy. (2) Briefing Not later than 1 year after the date on which the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Security Strategy commences, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress on the implementation of the strategy. (3) Termination The authority under this section shall terminate on the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act. (d) Appropriate committees of Congress defined In this section, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives. 4. Report on efforts to capture and detain United States citizens as hostages (a) In general Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on efforts by the Maduro regime of Venezuela to detain United States citizens and lawful permanent residents. (b) Elements The report required by subsection (a) shall include, regarding the arrest, capture, detainment, and imprisonment of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents— (1) the names, positions, and institutional affiliation of Venezuelan individuals, or those acting on their behalf, who have engaged in such activities; (2) a description of any role played by transnational criminal organizations, and an identification of such organizations; and (3) where relevant, an assessment of whether and how United States citizens and lawful permanent residents have been lured to Venezuela. (c) Form The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but shall include a classified annex, which shall include a list of the total number of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents detained or imprisoned in Venezuela as of the date on which the report is submitted. 5. Technical assistance The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the United States Trade Representative, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Development Finance Corporation, shall provide technical assistance to partner countries in the Western Hemisphere to establish frameworks or mechanisms, similar to the frameworks set forth in section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 ( 50 U.S.C. 4565 ), for the purpose of enabling such partner countries to screen, review, and address the long-term financial sustainability and national security implications of investments in strategic sectors or services, including energy, telecommunications, and infrastructure, by entities controlled or directed by the governments of adversarial countries, including— (1) the People’s Republic of China; (2) the Russian Federation; (3) the Islamic Republic of Iran; (4) the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; and (5) any other country the Secretary of State determines to be adversarial to the national security interests of the United States.