,i #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dici ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #ad1 #bjaf ,mr4 ,engel 7for himself and ,ms4 ,ros-,lehtinen7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to increase engagement with the governments of the ,caribbean region1 the ,caribbean diaspora community in the ,united ,states1 and the private sector and civil society in both the ,united ,states and the ,caribbean1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,united ,states-,caribbean ,strategic ,engagement ,act of #bjaf4 #b4 ,statement of policy ,congress declares that it is the policy of the ,united ,states to increase engagement with the governments of the ,caribbean region1 the ,caribbean diaspora community in the ,united ,states1 and the private sector and civil society in both the ,united ,states and the ,caribbean in a concerted effort to-- 7#a7 enhance diplomatic relations between the ,united ,states and the ,caribbean region2 7#b7 increase economic cooperation between the ,united ,states and the ,caribbean region2 7#c7 support regional economic1 political1 and security integration efforts in the ,caribbean region2 7#d7 encourage sustainable economic development and increased regional economic diversification and global competitiveness2 7#e7 reduce levels of crime and violence1 curb the trafficking of illicit drugs1 strengthen the rule of law1 and improve citizen security2 7#f7 improve energy security by increasing access to diverse1 reliable1 affordable1 and sustainable power2 7#g7 advance cooperation on democracy and human rights in the ,caribbean region and at multilateral fora2 and 7#h7 continue support for public health advances and cooperation on health concerns and threats to the ,caribbean region4 #c4 ,strategy ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development 7,,usaid71 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a multi-year strategy for ,united ,states engagement with the ,caribbean region that-- 7#a7 identifies ,department of ,state and ,,usaid efforts1 in coordination with other executive branch agencies1 to prioritize ,united ,states policy towards the ,caribbean region2 7#b7 outlines an approach to broaden ,department of ,state and ,,usaid outreach to the ,caribbean diaspora community in the ,united ,states to promote their involvement and participation in the economic development and citizen security of the ,caribbean region2 7#c7 outlines an approach to partner with the governments of the ,caribbean region to improve citizen security1 reduce the trafficking of illicit drugs1 strengthen the rule of law1 and improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the ,caribbean ,basin ,security ,initiative2 7#d7 establishes a comprehensive1 integrated1 multi-year strategy to encourage the efforts of the ,caribbean region to implement regional and national strategies that improve energy security by increasing access to diverse1 reliable1 affordable1 and sustainable power1 including significant renewable energy resources within the ,caribbean region such as biomass1 geothermal1 hydropower1 solar1 tidal1 waste-to-energy1 and wind1 and by taking advantage of the ongoing energy revolution in the ,unites ,states2 7#e7 outlines an approach to improve diplomatic engagement with the governments of the ,caribbean region1 including with respect to key votes on human rights and democracy at the ,united ,nations and the ,organization of ,american ,states2 7#f7 develops an approach to assisting ,caribbean countries in the diversification of their economies1 the reduction of legal1 technical1 and administrative barriers that prevent the free flow of foreign direct investment and trade to and from each country and within the ,caribbean region1 and support for the training and employment of youth and citizens in marginalized communities2 and 7#g7 reflects the input of other executive branch agencies1 as appropriate4 #d4 ,briefings ,the ,secretary of ,state shall provide annual briefings to the appropriate congressional committees that review ,department of ,state efforts to implement the strategy for ,united ,states engagement with the ,caribbean region in accordance with section #c4 #e4 ,progress report ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act and biennially thereafter1 the ,president shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on progress made toward to implementing the strategy for ,united ,states engagement with the ,caribbean region in accordance with section #c4 #f4 ,government ,accountability ,office report on ,caribbean ,basin ,security ,initiative ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that contains the following3 7#a7 ,an evaluation of the ,caribbean ,basin ,security ,initiative 7,,cbsi7 and the extent to which the ,,cbsi has met ,department of ,state and ,,usaid benchmarks4 7#b7 ,an accounting of ,,cbsi funding appropriated1 obligated1 and expended from fiscal year #bjaj through fiscal year #bjaf4 7#c7 ,a breakdown of yearly ,,cbsi assistance provided to each ,,cbsi country4 7#d7 ,a description of how ,,cbsi is coordinated with other security assistance programs in the ,western ,hemisphere1 particularly the ,merida ,initiative and the ,central ,america ,regional ,security ,initiative1 and the role of the ,department of ,state's ,senior ,coordinator for the ,citizen ,security ,initiatives in the ,western ,hemisphere in such coordination4 7#e7 ,a description of all ,united ,states security assistance provided to the ,caribbean region1 exclusive of assistance through ,,cbsi4 7#f7 ,recommendations for legislative and executive action to make ,,cbsi more effective and efficient4 #g4 ,,gao report on diplomatic engagement in the eastern ,caribbean ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that contains the following3 7#a7 ,an evaluation of ,united ,states diplomatic outreach from the ,united ,states embassy in ,barbados to the countries of ,antigua and ,barbuda1 ,dominica1 ,st4 ,kitts and ,nevis1 ,st4 ,lucia and ,st4 ,vincent1 and the ,grenadines4 7#b7 ,a list of visits over the previous five years of personnel at the ,united ,states embassy in ,barbados to the countries of ,antigua and ,barbuda1 ,dominica1 ,st4 ,kitts and ,nevis1 ,st4 ,lucia and ,st4 ,vincent1 and the ,grenadines4 7#c7 ,a description of how personnel at the ,united ,states embassy in ,barbados have engaged with government officials and civil society organizations in ,antigua and ,barbuda1 ,dominica1 ,st4 ,kitts and ,nevis1 ,st4 ,lucia and ,st4 ,vincent1 and the ,grenadines over the previous five years4 7#d7 ,a description of how personnel at the ,united ,states embassy in ,grenada have engaged with government officials and civil society organizations over the previous five years4 #h4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate4 7#b7 ,caribbean region ,the term ,caribbean region means the ,caribbean ,basin ,security ,initiative beneficiary countries4 7#c7 ,security assistance ,the term security assistance has the meaning given such term in section #ejb;,b7b7 of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bcjd7;d774