,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bagf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,april #bf1 #bjag,mrs4
 ,murphy ( ,florida 7= h]self1 ,ms4     
,del,bene1 ,mr4 ,gallego1 ,ms4          
,hanabusa1 ,ms4 ,bordallo1 & ,mr4 ,ca/ro
 ( ,texas7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 
0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign      
,affairs1 & 9 addition to ! ,committee  
on ,arm$ ,s]vices1 = a p]iod to be      
subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* 
case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z  
fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee    
conc]n$  ,a ,,bill  ,to au?orize !      
e/abli%m5t ( an ,asia-,pacific ,def5se  
,commission to enhance def5se coop]ation
 betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & allies 9 !    
,asia-,pacific region1 & = o!r purposes4
  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ 
z ! ,asia-,pacific ,def5se ,commission  
,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds !      
foll[+3  7#a7 ,! ,unit$ ,/ates has work$
 coop]atively ) its allies & p>tn]s 9 ! 
,asia-,pacific region = decades on      
issues ( mutual conc]n hav+ regional &  

global /rategic & economic importance1  
includ+-- 7,a7 det]r+ & confront+       
ext]nal aggression aga9/ allies &       
p>tn]s2  7,b7 ensur+ ! free fl[ ( en]gy 
& comm]ce1 & fre$om ( navigation 9      
int]national wat]s2  7,c7 dismantl+     
t]rori/ networks t ?reat5 ! safety ( !  
region2  7,d7 prev5t+ ! developm5t1 use1
 & prolif]ation ( weapons ( mass        
de/ruction2  7,e7 adapt+ to climate     
*ange & sev]e wea!r ev5ts1 includ+      
coop]ation on humanit>ian assi/ance &   
disa/] response2 &  7,f7 promot+ respect
 = ! int]national lib]al ord] bas$ on   
commonly respect$ norms & values4  7#b7 
,! close security relation%ips betwe5 ! 
,unit$ ,/ates & its five treaty allies 9
 ! ,asia-,pacific region--,au/ralia1    
,japan1 ! ,philipp9es1 ,s\? ,korea &    
,?ail&--z well z ! security relation%ips
 betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & its           
non-alliance security p>tn]s 9 ! region 
rema9 vital to ! ,unit$ ,/ates national 
int]e/ & a corn]/one ( regional         
/ability4  7#c7 ,! ,unit$ ,/ates opposes

 ,nor? ,korea's illegal & reckless      
pursuit ( nucle> weapons4  7#d7 ,c\nt]+ 
,nor? ,korea's de/abiliz+ activities 9 !
 region by diplomatic1 economic1 &      
def5sive means is a top national        
security issue = ! ,unit$ ,/ates z !    
?reat pos$ by ,nor? ,korea endang]s     
,unit$ ,/ates allies1 ?reat5s to        
de/abilize ! ,asia-,pacific region1 & if
 un*eck$1 poses a grave nucle>          
prolif]ation *all5ge to ! _w4  #c4      
,e/abli%m5t ( ,asia-,pacific ,def5se    
,commission  7a7 ,/atem5t ( policy  7#a7
 ,9 g5]al ,x is ! policy ( ! ,unit$     
,/ates to cont9ue to ma9ta9 a /rong     
milit>y po/ure 9 ! ,asia-,pacific region
 9 ord] to reassure ,unit$ ,/ates       
allies1 det] aggression1 & respond      
swiftly to crises4  7#b7 ,enhanc$       
milit>y tra9+ & ex]cises ,! ,secret>y ( 
,def5se1 9 consultation ) ! ,secret>y ( 
,/ate1 %all seek opportunities to       
enhance milit>y tra9+ & ex]cises )      
,unit$ ,/ates allies 9 ! ,asia-,pacific 
region to deep5 coop]ation betwe5 !     

milit>ies ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & su*       
allies1 to exp& op]ational capabilities1
 & to enc\rage respect = human rights & 
! rule ( law4  7b7 ,jo9t def5se         
commission ,! ,presid5t may e/abli% a   
regional jo9t def5se commission to be   
kn[n z ! ,asia-,pacific ,def5se         
,commission4 ,! purpose ( ! commission  
%all be to /r5g!n coop]ation betwe5 !   
,unit$ ,/ates & its allies 9 !          
,asia-,pacific region to combat jo9t    
?reats4 ,! commission may und]take !    
foll[+ activities3 7#a7 ,/r5g!n+        
c\nt]t]rorism op]ations & build+        
capacity to track1 inve/igate1 &        
prosecute individuals engag$ 9 t]rori/  
activities4  7#b7 ,improv+ regional     
m>itime security & capabilities to      
int]dict illegal arms %ipm5ts4  7#c7    
,bol/]+ regional cyb]security           
initiatives & protect+ critical         
infra/ructure4  7#d7 ,/r5g!n+ milit>y   
prep>$ness4  7#e7 ,facilitat+           
def5se-relat$ transf]s1 subject to !    
requirem5ts ( ! ,arms ,export ,control  

,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgea et seq474     
7#f7 ,facilitat+ ef=ts to enhance tra9+1
 prep>$ness1 & op]ations by allies to   
address ,nor? ,korean m>itime weapons   
transf]s4  7#g7 ,coord9at+ intellig5ce  
collect$ by ! intellig5ce s]vices ( !   
c\ntries p>ticipat+ 9 ! commission1     
id5tify ! mo/ imm$iate ?reats to in=m ! 
security s]vices ( su* c\ntries1 &      
create guidel9es = ! coord9ation (      
multilat]al direct action aga9/ %>$     
?reats4  7c7 ,asia-,pacific ,region ,9  
?is section1 ! t]m ,asia-,pacific region
 means ! region correspond+ to ! area ( 
responsibility ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates        
,pacific ,comm&1 z def9$ by ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,def5se unifi$ comm& plan4  7d7 ,s5se 
( ,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t !
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,navy %\ld regul>ize     
fre$om ( navigation op]ations1 9        
accordance ) int]national law1 9 !      
,japanese-adm9i/]$ ,s5kaku ,isl&s1 9 !  
,s\? ,*9a ,sea1 & 9 regul> ports ( call 
at /rategic ports 9 ! ,asia-,pacific    
region4