S.Amdt. 3121

SA 3121. Mr. CARDIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle F of title XII, add the following:

SEC. 1291. ESTABLISHING A SENIOR OFFICIAL FOR THE COMPACTS OF
FREE ASSOCIATION AT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall designate a
senior official at the Department of State responsible for
administering the Compacts of Free Association at

[[Page S5435]]

the Department of State (in this section referred to as the
``Senior Official''). The Senior Official shall report to the
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific
Affairs.
(b) Duties.--The Senior Official shall--
(1) be responsible for the conduct of United States foreign
policy with respect to the countries affiliated with the
United States Government under the Compacts of Free
Association (in this section referred to as the
``Compacts''), namely the freely associated states of--
(A) the Republic of Palau;
(B) the Marshall Islands; and
(C) the Federated States of Micronesia;
(2) assist the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian
and Pacific Affairs in providing overall direction,
coordination, and supervision of interdepartmental activities
of the United States Government in these countries, including
ensuring the timely transfer of assistance and provision of
benefits through the United States Department of the
Interior, as laid out in the Compacts;
(3) oversee and evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of
United States policy with respect to these countries as well
as of the plans, programs, resources, and performance for
implementing that policy, including programs and other
activities implemented by the Department of the Interior;
(4) directly supervise the policy and operations of the
Compacts and provide guidance to relevant United States
missions within the Indo-Pacific region;
(5) ensure the provision of an adequate, regular flow of
information to posts abroad on United States Government
policies, policy deliberations, and diplomatic exchanges in
Washington, D.C.; and
(6) ensure the continuity of implementation of commitments
and Compact obligations and benefits, consistent with United
States national interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated $250,000 to support the Senior Official in
the conduct and discharge of the duties described in
subsection (b).
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