House Foreign Affairs Committee Passes Bipartisan Espaillat Bill to Boost Security Funding and Cooperation in the Caribbean

Press Release

Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed Representative Adriano Espaillat's (NY-13) bill, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act. This legislation would allocate nearly $75,000,000 per year from 2021 through 2025 to improve security cooperation with Caribbean nations and combat illicit drug trafficking, support justice sector reform and strengthen the rule of law, and address instability caused by natural disasters.

"This bill is vital to combatting drug trafficking, promoting good governance and independent justice sectors, and empowering civil society in the Caribbean," said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). "Too often the Caribbean is ignored, and we must correct this by deepening our partnerships and cooperation with some of our closest allies. Working together, we can help increase citizen security, build resilience to natural disasters caused by climate change, and improve strategies to reduce illegal narcotics trafficking."

Earlier this month, Rep. Espaillat successfully secured a $14.8 million increase for the CBSI in the House Appropriations Committee legislation, and has worked over the past few years to boost the program's funding by nearly 30 percent. This bill would codify these funding increases and improve the efficacy and focus of CBSI to address continuing concerns in the region. Most important is a change that will incorporate efforts to promote disaster resiliency given increasing and worsening hurricanes in the region that threaten long-term security.

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