Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, today, I have joined Senators Manchin, Risch, Cardin, Boozman, and Hirono in introducing the Compacts of Free Association Amendments Act of 2023. In the House of Representatives, Congressmen Westerman, Grijalva, McCaul, and Meeks are introducing identical legislation.

This legislation renews the compact agreements between the United States and the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, commonly referred to as the Freely Associated States.

This legislation will protect American interests in the Pacific and block China's efforts to expand its influence. The Compacts of Free Association give the United States exclusive military authority over the Freely Associated States' lands and waters. This authority guarantees that our military can operate bases on the islands and deny access to any potential adversaries in the region. This is critical because Chinese aggression in the region is an ever-present danger.

China is expanding its power in the Indo-Pacific and is threatening the Freely Associated States. China is actively trying to upset the security and power dynamic in the region and threaten Taiwan. In March of this year, the outgoing President of the Federated States of Micronesia outlined Chinese attempts to undermine his country's ties to the United States through bribery and threatening public officials. China has also tried to use aggressive and coercive actions against the economies of the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands by threatening their tourism and fishing industries.

Today's introduction is a positive step. The House Natural Resources Committee intends to mark, up this legislation in order for it be included in the National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA. The Senate has already included language in the NDAA supporting renewal of the compacts. One important issue that is not addressed in this bill is how the legislation will be paid for. The question of a spending offset needs to be addressed as the bill makes its way through the legislative process.

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