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H.R. 4939 114th Congress House

United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016

Official title: To increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean region, the Caribbean diaspora community in the United States, and the private sector and civil so… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean region, the Caribbean diaspora community in the United States, and the private sector and civil society in both the United States and the Caribbean, and for other purposes.

Introduced: April 18, 2016 See on congress.gov
International Affairs Alternative and renewable resourcesAntigua and BarbudaBarbadosCaribbean area
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Congressional oversightDiplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroadDrug trafficking and controlled substancesEmployment and training programsEnergy storage, supplies, demandForeign aid and international reliefFree trade and trade barriersGovernment studies and investigationsHuman rightsLaw enforcement administration and fundingRule of law and government transparencySaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesU.S. and foreign investments
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 Everywhere this bill has been 27 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 16, 2016
Became Public Law No: 114-291.
Dec 16, 2016
Signed by President.
Dec 15, 2016
Presented to President.
Dec 13, 2016
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Dec 13, 2016
On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection. (consideration: CR H7584-7585; text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H7584-7585)
Dec 13, 2016
Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.(consideration: CR H7584-7585; text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H7584-7585)
Dec 13, 2016
Mr. Smith (NJ) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and agree to the Senate amendment.
Dec 12, 2016
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Dec 10, 2016
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 10, 2016
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 10, 2016
The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 10, 2016
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7127-7128; text of measure as reported in Senate: CR S7127-7128)
Dec 7, 2016
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 713.
Dec 7, 2016
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Dec 6, 2016
Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jun 14, 2016
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Jun 13, 2016
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jun 13, 2016
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 386 - 6 (Roll no. 297). (text: CR H3724-3725)
Jun 13, 2016
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3730-3731)
Jun 13, 2016
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Jun 13, 2016
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4939.
Jun 13, 2016
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3724-3727)
Jun 13, 2016
Mr. Royce moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Apr 20, 2016
Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
Apr 20, 2016
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Apr 14, 2016
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Apr 14, 2016
Introduced in House
 Votes taken on this bill 1
DateChamberWhat was voted onResultYes–No
Jun 13, 2016 House · vote #297 On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended Passed 386–6 See who voted →
 Amendments to this bill 1

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

1 agreed to

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 5,177 – To revise the multi-year strategy requirement regarding diplomatic engagement with Caribbean region governmen… Agreed to Dec 10, 2016
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 Latest action December 16, 2016

Became Public Law No: 114-291.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill declares that it is U.S. policy to increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean region, including the private sector, and with civil society in both the United States and the Caribbean.

(Sec. 3) The Department of State shall submit to Congress a multi-year strategy for U.S. engagement to support the efforts of interested nations in the Caribbean region that:

  • identifies State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) priorities for U.S. policy towards the Caribbean region;
  • outlines an approach to partner with Caribbean governments to improve citizen security, reduce illicit drug trafficking, strengthen the rule of law, and improve the effectiveness and longevity of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI);
  • encourages efforts of the region to implement regional and national strategies that improve Caribbean energy security by increasing access to all available sources of energy, including by taking advantage of the indigenous energy sources of the Caribbean and the ongoing energy revolution in the United States;
  • improves diplomatic engagement with Caribbean governments;
  • describes how the United States can develop an approach to supporting Caribbean countries in efforts they are willing to undertake with their own resources to diversify their economies; and
  • describes ways to ensure the active participation of citizens of the Caribbean in existing program and initiatives administered by the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

(Sec. 4) The State Department shall offer to annually brief the appropriate congressional committees on efforts to implement such strategy.

(Sec. 5) The President shall report within two years on progress made in implementing such strategy.

(Sec. 6) The Foreign Service Act of 1980 is amended to eliminate from the State Department's Foreign Service workplace report descriptions of steps taken in furtherance of compatibility and the development of uniform procedures and consolidated personnel functions.

 Bill text 7 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 4
All 4 Democratic 3
D
Kelly, Robin L.
Illinois · Apr 21, 2016
 D
Sherman, Brad
California · Apr 19, 2016
 D
Clarke, Yvette D.
New York · Apr 18, 2016
Curbelo, Carlos
· Apr 18, 2016
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4939: United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4939/
MLA
"H.R. 4939: United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4939/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4939, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4939/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4939: United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4939/)
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