Sunday, December 8, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Wednesday, July 21, 2021
Blue Pacific Act Added to Major Foreign Policy Bill
By Ed Case @ 12:00 PM :: 3243 Views :: World News, Congressional Delegation, Military

Case’s BLUE Pacific Act Provisions Expanding U.S. Commitments To Pacific Islands Added To Major House Foreign Policy Package

House Foreign Affairs Committee Includes Case’s Pacific Islands Caucus’ Initiatives in its Signature Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement (EAGLE) Act

News Release from Rep Ed Case, Washington, July 20, 2021

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) reports that the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has included the bulk of his Boosting Long-Term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific (BLUE Pacific) Act in its major measure, the Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement (EAGLE) Act, as approved by the Committee last Thursday.

The EAGLE Act, H.R. 3524, is the U.S. House’s signature foreign policy initiative in the current 117th Congress.

It would reassert U.S. leadership and engagement across an all-government spectrum in non-defense programs. It was approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee last Thursday after substantial debate.

H.R. 2967, the BLUE Pacific Act, establishes a long-term comprehensive strategy for U.S. engagement in the critical Pacific Islands region. The sections included as part of the EAGLE Act would:

·         Expand U.S. diplomatic and development presence in the Pacific Islands;

·         Require coordination of U.S. engagement, including security and development assistance, through a formal consultative process with regional partners, allies and multilateral institutions;

·         Direct U.S. agencies to devise and implement a strategy to invest in climate resilient development projects, including by using the U.S. voice and vote at international financial institutions, and authorize $50 million per year for the next five years for this purpose;

·         Expand coverage of the International Law Enforcement Academies program to the Pacific Islands;

·         Establish a comprehensive strategy for U.S. security assistance to the Pacific Islands to enhance maritime security, address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, tackle transnational crimes like human and drug trafficking, and more;

·         Increase U.S. efforts to assist the Pacific Islands in addressing transnational crime through ratification and implementation of international legal instruments and enhanced action on illegal forestry and logging;

·         Implement an emergency preparedness initiative for the Pacific Islands through education and training programs, technical assistance and more, and authorize $40 million per year for the next five years for this purpose; and

·         Expand Peace Corps presence in the Pacific Islands.

Case introduced an initial version of the BLUE Pacific Act in the 116th Congress together with other members of his bipartisan Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus which he co-founded. More information on the Caucus is here: LINK. 

The current version is substantially updated with further input from federal agencies as well as many of the countries of the Pacific. Case’s remarks on introduction of the BLUE Pacific Act: LINK.

“I welcome inclusion of much of the BLUE Pacific Act in the EAGLE Act, our House’s signature foreign policy package to reassert U.S. global leadership and engagement,” said Case.

“This sends a powerful message to our critical Pacific Islands partners and allies that our country values our relationships and intends to invest further in them and to continue as an active and engaged partner in pursuit of our shared interests and in defense of our shared values.”

Pending potential consideration by other committees of jurisdiction, the EAGLE Act will head to the full House for consideration.

  • Meeks’ statement on last Thursday’s committee passage: LINK.
  • Original press release on the bill: LINK.

###

CB: House Foreign Affairs Committee Votes To Increase US Engagement In The Pacific

May, 2021: Case Reintroduces Blue Pacific Act for Coordinated US Policy

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii