HR 7797 116th Congress House International Affairs Air quality Alternative and renewable resources Australia Cardiovascular and respiratory health Climate change and greenhouse gases Computer security and identity theft Congressional oversight Cultural exchanges and relations Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad Disaster relief and insurance Drug trafficking and controlled substances Economic development Education programs funding Emergency medical services and trauma care Emergency planning and evacuation Employment and training programs Fiji Food assistance and relief Foreign aid and international relief

BLUE Pacific Act

Introduced: July 27, 2020 Introduced by: Case, Ed Democratic · Hawaii See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jul 30, 2020

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3988-3989)

Jul 27, 2020

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Jul 27, 2020

Introduced in House

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Boosting Long-term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific Act or BLUE Pacific Act

This bill requires the establishment or expansion of various diplomacy and aid programs related to the Pacific Islands, which include the Cook Islands, Fiji, Palau, and Vanuatu.

Provisions relating to security and law enforcement in the Pacific Islands include those requiring (1) the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to expand cross-border maritime law enforcement operations; (2) the State Department to expand International Law Enforcement Academies coverage (the academies provide training to law enforcement agencies in other countries); and (3) the State Department to implement a strategy to combat transnational crime, such as cybercrime and sex trafficking.

The bill also requires the implementation of development-related initiatives in the Pacific Islands, such as by requiring (1) the U.S. Trade Representative to implement a strategy to expand and diversify trade; (2) the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement a plan to increase the region's trade capacity; and (3) the USAID to implement programs to improve public health, education outcomes, and climate resilience.

The bill also requires the development and implementation of programs related to press freedom in the Pacific Islands, such as a State Department strategy to strengthen the press and promote press freedom and a U.S. Agency for Global Media strategy to provide expanded media content.

What's happening now July 30, 2020

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3988-3989)

Committees of jurisdiction 3