,i  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #ccbe  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,july #bi1 #bjae ,mr4 
,cicill9e 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,co/a1 ,mr4  
,honda1 ,mr4 ,keat+1 & ,mr4 ,mc,govern7 
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,=eign ,affairs  ,a    
,,bill  ,to e/abli% ! ,azores           
,coop]ative ,initiative ,program4  #a4  
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,azores ,coop]ative ,initiative ,program
 ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds !     
foll[+3  7#a7 ,9 #aiie1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
& ,portugal negotiat$ an agreem5t to    
in/itute ! ,azores ,coop]ative          
,initiative ,program 7,,acip74 ,,acip   
replac$ an e>li] ,unit$ ,/ates lease    
paym5t agreem5t = ! use ( ,lajes ,air   
,=ce ,base on ! ,isl& ( ,t]ceira 9 !    
,azores4  7#b7 ,sev5 hundr$ ,unit$      
,/ates ,air ,=ce p]sonnel & _! families 
are /ation$ at ,lajes ,air ,=ce ,base4  
7#c7 ,9 ex*ange = ,unit$ ,/ates access  
to ,lajes ,air ,=ce ,base1 ! ,unit$     
,/ates agre$ to und]take coop]ation     

programs ) ! ,azores1 includ+ 9 ! areas 
( agriculture1 education1 t\rism1 &     
heal?4  7#d7 ,h[ev]1 ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,def5se ceas$ fund+ ,,acip because its  
activities h n be5 explicitly au?oriz$  
by law4  7#e7 ,! ,gov]nm5t ( ,portugal &
 ! ,azorean p h all[$ ! ,unit$ ,/ates   
,air ,=ce pres5ce on ! ,isl&1 :i* is an 
important /rategic location = ,unit$    
,/ates security int]e/s4  7#f7 ,!re are 
_m vibrant ,azorean communities 9 !     
,unit$ ,/ates1 includ+ 9 ,cali=nia1     
,hawaii1 ,massa*usetts1 ,new ,j]sey1 &  
,rhode ,isl&1 & z a result ! relation%ip
 betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ! ,azores     
rema9s /rong & important1 = /rategic1   
diplomatic1 & cultural reasons4  7#g7   
,,acip is a non-def5se initiative1 & is 
critically important to ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
relation%ip ) ,portugal & ! ,azores4    
7#h7 ,! #fe? ,air ,base ,w+ is a ,unit$ 
,/ates milit>y unit /ation$ at ,lajes   
,air ,=ce ,base1 ,azores1 ,portugal1 &  
is curr5tly ! only ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y
 organization 9 ! ,azores4  7#i7 ,lajes 

,air ,=ce ,base support$ transit+       
aircraft dur+ ! c\rse ( ,op]ations ,jo9t
 ,gu>d1 ,d5y ,flight1 ,provide ,com=t1 &
 ,s\!rn ,wat*4  7#aj7 ,beg9n+ 9 #aiig1  
l>ge fight] aircraft movem5ts call$ ,air
 ,exp$ition>y ,=ces fill$ ! ,lajes ,air 
,=ce ,base flightl9e4 ,lajes has also   
ho/$ ,b-#eb & ,b-#a bomb] aircraft en   
r\te f global air missions4  7#aa7      
,lajes ,air ,=ce ,base has support$ _m  
r\t9e ,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty           
,organization 7,,nato7 ex]cises1 su* z !
 bi5nial ,nor!rn ,vik+ ex]cise4  7#ab7  
,= ,op]ations ,endur+ ,fre$om1 ,iraq    
,fre$om1 ,new ,dawn1 & ,odyssey ,dawn1  
airm5 h be5 deploy$ 9 support ( ^!      
op]ations & ,lajes ,air ,=ce ,base ho/$ 
aircraft transit+ ! ,azores 9 support ( 
^! missions4  7#ac7 ,lajes ,air ,=ce    
,base is an important /rategic location 
= ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,arm$ ,=ces & ,,nato1 
& ,,acip helps to support ,unit$ ,/ates 
/rategic int]e/s 9 ! region4  #c4       
,au?ority to e/abli% ,azores ,coop]ative
 ,initiative ,program  7a7 ,au?ority ,! 

,secret>y ( ,/ate is au?oriz$ to e/abli%
 a program1 to be kn[n z ! ,azores      
,coop]ative ,initiative ,program1 to    
provide bilat]al coop]ation1 exp]tise1 &
 res\rces to design & implem5t solutions
 to ! provisions ( ! #aiie ,unit$       
,/ates-,portugal ,agreem5t on           
,coop]ation & ,def5se1 9 areas ( sci5ce1
 te*nology1 education1 environm5t &     
agriculture 9 ord] to fur!r             
,luso-,am]ican relations4  7b7          
,activities support$ ,! program %all    
include ! foll[+ activities3 7#a7       
,integrat$ pe/ managem5t program =      
horticultural crops 9 ! ,azores1        
,portugal4  7#b7 ,e/abli%m5t (          
aquacultural rese>* 9 ! ,azores4  7#c7  
,su/a9able fi%]ies 9 ! ,azores4  7#d7   
,improvem5ts to ! ,azores heal? c>e     
sy/em1 includ+ epidemiology & control ( 
,leptospirosis 9 ! ,azores4  7#e7       
,geological risk monitor+4  7#f7 ,t\rism
 promotion4  7#g7 ,assi/ance 9 economic 
policy analysis4  7#h7 ,te*nical        
coop]ation = rural developm5t4  7#i7    

,export promotion ( ,azorean products4  
7#aj7 ,tra9+ ex*anges ) reg>d to !      
activities describ$ 9 p>agraphs 7#a7    
?r\gh 7#i74