S.Amdt. 810

SA 810. Mr. MANCHIN (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, Ms. Hirono, Mr.
Risch, Mr. Heinrich, and Mr. Wyden) submitted an amendment intended to
be proposed by him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for
fiscal year 2024 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 D of title XII, add the following:

SEC. 12___. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE RENEWAL OF THE COMPACTS
OF FREE ASSOCIATION WITH THE REPUBLIC OF PALAU,
THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, AND THE
REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) in 1947, the United Nations entrusted the United States
with the defense and security of the region that now
comprises--
(A) the Republic of Palau;
(B) the Federated States of Micronesia; and
(C) the Republic of the Marshall Islands;
(2) in 1983, the United States signed Compacts of Free
Association with the Federated States of Micronesia and the
Republic of the Marshall Islands;
(3) in 1985, the United States signed a Compact of Free
Association with the Republic of Palau;
(4) in 1986, Congress--
(A) enacted the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985 (48
U.S.C. 1901 note; Public Law 99-239), which approved the
Compacts of Free Association with the Federated States of
Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands; and
(B) enacted Public Law 99-658 (48 U.S.C. 1931 note), which
approved the Compact of Free Association with the Republic of
Palau;
(5) in 2003, Congress enacted the Compact of Free
Association Amendments Act of 2003

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(48 U.S.C. 1921 note; Public Law 108-188), which approved and
renewed the Compacts of Free Association with the Federated
States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall
Islands;
(6) in 2010, the United States and the Republic of Palau
agreed to terms for renewing the Compact of Free Association
with the Republic of Palau in the Palau Compact Review
Agreement, which was approved by Congress in section 1259C of
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018
(48 U.S.C. 1931 note; Public Law 115-91);
(7) on January 11, 2023, the United States signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of the Marshall
Islands on funding priorities for the Compact of Free
Association with the Republic of the Marshall Islands;
(8) on May 22, 2023, the United States signed the U.S.-
Palau 2023 Agreement, following the Compact of Free
Association Section 432 Review;
(9) on May 23, 2023, the United States signed 3 agreements
relating to the U.S.-FSM Compact of Free Association, which
included--
(A) an Agreement to Amend the Compact, as amended;
(B) a new fiscal procedures agreement; and
(C) a new trust fund agreement; and
(10) the United States is undergoing negotiations relating
to the Compact of Free Association with the Republic of the
Marshall Islands.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the close and strategic partnerships of the United
States with the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of
Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands are
vital to international peace and security in the Indo-Pacific
region;
(2) the Compacts of Free Association with the Republic of
Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic
of the Marshall Islands form the political, economic, and
security architecture that bolsters and sustains security and
drives regional development and the prosperity of the larger
Indo-Pacific community of nations;
(3) certain provisions of the current Compacts of Free
Association with the Federated States of Micronesia and the
Republic of the Marshall Islands expire on September 30,
2023;
(4) certain provisions of the Compact of Free Association
with the Republic of Palau expire on September 30, 2024;
(5) it is in the national interest of the United States to
successfully renegotiate and renew the Compacts of Free
Association with the Republic of Palau, the Federated States
of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands; and
(6) enacting legislation to approve amended Compacts of
Free Association with the Republic of Palau, the Federated
States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall
Islands is the most important way for Congress to support
United States strategic partnerships with the 3 countries.
______