US-Japan-ROK Trilateral Cooperation Act

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3429, the U.S.-Japan-ROK Trilateral Cooperation Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues Representatives Wilson, Kelly, Castro, Smith, and the late Honorable Gerry Connolly, co-chairs of the Korea and Japan caucuses, for introducing this bill with me.

Congressman Connolly was a tireless advocate for America's alliances and a strong believer in the power of trilateral cooperation between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. I am proud to see the House continuing his important work today.

The Indo-Pacific is at the center of America's economic and strategic future. In the region, the United States

faces a complex array of challenges, including authoritarian aggression, economic coercion, and emerging security threats.

Our ability to address these challenges requires strong alliances and close coordination with our partners.

The trilateral relationship between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea is one of the most strategically significant partnerships that we have.

These are two of our closest allies, democracies that share our values, interests, and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The 2023 Camp David Leaders' Summit marked a historic step forward in trilateral cooperation, leading to expanded collaboration on military exercises, ballistic missile defense, cybersecurity development, finance, maritime security, and science and technology.

Strong partnerships need strong institutions. Since the Camp David summit, all three countries have experienced changes in executive leadership. That reality underscores why we must create mechanisms that ensure trilateral cooperation endures beyond any single administration.

This is exactly what H.R. 3429 seeks to accomplish. The bill codifies an annual inter-parliamentarian dialogue among the United States Congress, Japan's National Diet, and South Korea's National Assembly. It creates a formal mechanism for lawmakers from all three countries to meet regularly and coordinate on issues including defense, economic security, public health, and emerging technologies.

The legislation establishes a bipartisan and bicameral congressional delegation to participate in these discussions, ensuring that congressional engagement remains consistent and sustained over time.

Most importantly, this bill helps institutionalize trilateral cooperation so that our partnership continues to grow, regardless of political transitions in any of the three countries.

The bill sends a clear message: The United States is committed to long-term cooperation with our allies in Japan and South Korea. It recognizes that our trilateral partnership is not simply a response to the current challenges but a strategic investment in a more secure, prosperous, and stable Indo-Pacific.

Mr. Speaker, diplomacy is key to peace because we are stronger together with our allies. Whether it is the challenges posed by North Korea or the People's Republic of China, trilateral cooperation is one of the critical ways to ensure that America and our two closest allies in Asia are working hand in hand toward our common interests and advancement of peace and prosperity in the region. Congressional engagement with Japan and Korea will sustain long-term support and resources for trilateral cooperation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this measure. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3429) to establish an inter-parliamentary dialogue to facilitate closer cooperation between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea on shared interests and values.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3429.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3429, the U.S.-Japan-ROK Trilateral Cooperation Act, introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee's East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee Ranking Member Ami Bera to my left.

I have learned during my time as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee that trust is the ultimate currency in foreign relations. Allies come to the United States with many asks: for arms, for trade, for diplomatic support, and everything in between. Sometimes the United States can only judge these requests based on the trust that they have or have not built with the United States of America.

This legislation is about building that trust with Japan and South Korea, and doing so with these two partners could not be more important. Japan and South Korea are key allies that are working together to resist aggression from the Chinese Communist Party and from North Korea to prevent a Chinese attack on Taiwan, to reindustrialize, and to decouple our economies from China in strategic sectors.

This is not about building lopsided alliances. This is about strengthening relationships that are good for America.

This bill would cultivate these alliances by establishing a parliamentary dialogue program between four Members from the House and four Members from the Senate and selected counterparts from the Parliaments of Japan and South Korea. This is about ensuring that our alliance system in the Indo-Pacific can resist Beijing's aggression.

With this important legislation, we will be one step closer to ensuring that American allies and partners win this century.

Mr. Speaker, Japan and South Korea are two of America's most important treaty allies in the Indo-Pacific. This legislation builds upon our longstanding alliance with these two countries so we can ensure these relationships can survive the struggles to come and to deter aggression from the Chinese Communist Party and North Korea.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, Japan and South Korea are two of America's most important treaty allies in the Indo-Pacific. This legislation builds upon our longstanding alliance with these two countries, so that we can ensure that these relationships can survive the struggles to come.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 3429, and I yield back the balance of my time.