,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ceia ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #g 7legislative day1 ,february #c71 #bjbb,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,risch1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 and ,mr4 ,rubio7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to strengthen the bilateral partnership between the ,united ,states and ,ecuador in support of democratic institutions and rule of law1 sustainable and inclusive economic growth1 and conservation4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,united ,states-,ecuador ,partnership ,act of #bjbb4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4,sec4 #b4 ,findings4,sec4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress4,sec4 #d4 ,facilitating economic and commercial ties4,sec4 #e4 ,promoting inclusive economic development4,sec4 #f4 ,combating illicit economies1 corruption1 and negative foreign influence4,sec4 #g4 ,strengthening democratic governance4,sec4 #h4 ,fostering conservation and stewardship4,sec4 #i4 ,reporting requirements4,sec4 #aj4 ,sunset4 #b4 ,findings 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states and ,ecuador have a history of bilateral cooperation grounded in mutual respect1 shared democratic values1 and mutual security interests4 7#b7 ,on ,february #g1 #bjba1 and ,april #aa1 #bjba1 ,ecuador held democratic elections that included parties from across the political spectrum1 paving the way for continued progress towards strengthening democratic institutions4 7#c7 ,the ,united ,states and ,ecuador share strategic interests in strengthening ,ecuador's democratic institutions1 generating inclusive economic growth1 and building capacity in law enforcement1 anti-corruption1 and conservation efforts4 7#d7 ,the ,united ,states and ,ecuador historically have enjoyed strong commercial1 investment1 and economic ties1 yet ,ecuador continues to face significant challenges to inclusive economic development1 including-- 7,a7 the heavy economic toll of the ,,covid-#ai pandemic2 7,b7 vulnerabilities with respect to the growing role of the ,people's ,republic of ,china in the financing and refinancing of ,ecuador's debts1 and in strategic infrastructure projects and sectors of the ,ecuadorian economy2 and 7,c7 the need to develop and strengthen open and transparent economic policies that strengthen ,ecuador's integration with global markets1 inclusive economic growth1 and opportunities for upward social mobility for the ,ecuadorian people4 7#e7 ,since its establishment in ,december #bjai1 the ,united ,states ,development ,finance ,corporation has provided more than #ddj1jjj1jjj in financing to ,ecuador4 7#f7 ,ecuador's justice system has taken important steps to fight corruption and criminality and to increase accountability4 ,however1 enduring challenges to the rule of law in ,ecuador1 including the activities of transnational criminal organizations1 illicit mining1 illegal1 unreported1 and unregulated 7,,iuu7 fishing1 and undemocratic actors1 present ongoing risks for political and social stability in ,ecuador4 7#g7 ,the activities undertaken by the ,government of the ,people's ,republic of ,china in ,ecuador1 including its development of the ,,ecu-#iaa video surveillance and facial recognition system1 financing of the corruptly managed and environmentally deleterious ,coca ,codo ,sinclair ,dam1 and support for illegal1 unreported1 and unregulated fishing practices around the ,galapagos ,islands1 pose risks to democratic governance and biodiversity in the country4 7#h7 ,ecuador1 which is home to several of the ,earth's most biodiverse ecosystems1 including the ,galapagos ,islands1 the headwaters of the ,amazon river1 the ,condor mountain range1 and the ,yasuni ,biosphere ,reserve1 has seen a reduction in its rainforests between #aiij and #bjaf1 due in part to the incursion of criminal networks into protected areas4 7#i7 ,on ,march #bd1 #bjba1 the ,senate unanimously approved ,senate ,resolution #bb 7#aagth ,congress71 reaffirming the partnership between the ,united ,states and the ,republic of ,ecuador1 and recognizing the restoration and advancement of economic relations1 security1 and development opportunities in both nations4 7#aj7 ,on ,august #ac1 #bjba1 the ,united ,states and ,ecuador celebrated the entry into force of the ,protocol to the ,trade and ,investment ,council ,agreement between the ,government of the ,united ,states of ,america and the ,government of the ,republic of ,ecuador ,relating to ,trade ,rules and ,transparency1 recognizing the steps ,ecuador has taken to decrease unnecessary regulatory burden and create a more transparent and predictable legal framework for foreign direct investment in recent years4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,united ,states should take additional steps to strengthen its bilateral partnership with ,ecuador1 including by developing robust trade and investment frameworks1 increasing law enforcement cooperation1 renewing the activities of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development in ,ecuador1 and supporting ,ecuador's response to and recovery from the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 as necessary and appropriate2 and 7#b7 strengthening the ,united ,states-,ecuador partnership presents an opportunity to advance core ,united ,states national security interests and work with other democratic partners to maintain a prosperous1 politically stable1 and democratic ,western ,hemisphere that is resilient to malign foreign influence4 #d4 ,facilitating economic and commercial ties ,the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,commerce1 the ,united ,states ,trade ,representative1 the ,secretary of the ,treasury1 and the heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies1 as appropriate1 shall develop and implement a strategy to strengthen commercial and economic ties between the ,united ,states and ,ecuador by-- 7#a7 promoting cooperation and information sharing to encourage awareness of and increase trade and investment opportunities between the ,united ,states and ,ecuador2 7#b7 supporting efforts by the ,government of ,ecuador to promote a more open1 transparent1 and competitive business environment1 including by lowering trade barriers1 implementing policies to reduce trading times1 and improving efficiencies to expedite customs operations for importers and exporters of all sizes1 in all sectors1 and at all entry ports in ,ecuador2 7#c7 establishing frameworks or mechanisms to review the long-term financial sustainability and security implications of foreign investments in ,ecuador in strategic sectors or services2 7#d7 establishing competitive and transparent infrastructure project selection and procurement processes in ,ecuador that promote transparency1 open competition1 financial sustainability1 and robust adherence to global standards and norms2 7#e7 developing programs to help the ,government of ,ecuador improve efficiency and transparency in customs administration1 including through support for the ,government of ,ecuador's ongoing efforts to digitize its customs process and accept electronic documents required for the import1 export1 and transit of goods under specific international standards1 as well as related training to expedite customs1 security1 efficiency1 and competitiveness2 7#f7 spurring digital transformation that would advance-- 7,a7 the provision of digitized government services with the greatest potential to improve transparency1 lower business costs1 and expand citizens' access to public services and public information2 7,b7 the provision of transparent and affordable access to the internet and digital infrastructure2 and 7,c7 best practices to mitigate the risks to digital infrastructure by doing business with communication networks and communications supply chains with equipment and services from companies with close ties to or susceptible to pressure from governments or security services without reliable legal checks on governmental powers2 and 7#g7 identifying1 as appropriate1 a role for the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation1 the ,millennium ,challenge ,corporation1 the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 and the ,united ,states private sector in supporting efforts to increase private sector investment and strengthen economic prosperity4 #e4 ,promoting inclusive economic development ,the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,state and the heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies1 as appropriate1 shall develop and implement a strategy and related programs to support inclusive economic development across ,ecuador's national territory by-- 7#a7 facilitating increased access to public and private financing1 equity investments1 grants1 and market analysis for small and medium-sized businesses2 7#b7 providing technical assistance to local governments to formulate and enact local development plans that invest in ,indigenous and ,afro-,ecuadorian communities2 7#c7 connecting rural agricultural networks1 including ,indigenous and ,afro-,ecuadorian agricultural networks1 to consumers in urban centers and export markets1 including through infrastructure construction and maintenance programs that are subject to audits and carefully designed to minimize potential environmental harm2 7#d7 partnering with local governments1 the private sector1 and local civil society organizations1 including organizations representing marginalized communities and faith-based organizations1 to provide skills training and investment in support of initiatives that provide economically viable1 legal alternatives to participating in illegal economies2 and 7#e7 connecting small scale fishing enterprises to consumers and export markets1 in order to reduce vulnerability to organized criminal networks4 #f4 ,combating illicit economies1 corruption1 and negative foreign influence ,the ,secretary of ,state shall develop and implement a strategy and related programs to increase the capacity of ,ecuador's justice system and law enforcement authorities to combat illicit economies1 corruption1 transnational criminal organizations1 and the harmful influence of malign foreign and domestic actors by-- 7#a7 providing technical assistance and support to specialized units within the ,attorney ,general's office to combat corruption and to promote and protect internationally recognized human rights in ,ecuador1 including the ,transparency and ,anti-,corruption ,unit1 the ,anti-,money ,laundering ,unit1 the ,task ,force to ,combat ,corruption in ,central ,america1 and the ,environmental ,crimes ,unit2 7#b7 strengthening bilateral assistance and complementary support through multilateral anti-corruption mechanisms1 as necessary and appropriate1 to counter corruption and recover assets derived from corruption1 including through strengthening independent inspectors general to track and reduce corruption2 7#c7 improving the technical capacity of prosecutors and financial institutions in ,ecuador to combat corruption by-- 7,a7 detecting and investigating suspicious financial transactions1 and conducting asset forfeitures and criminal analysis2 and 7,b7 combating money laundering1 financial crimes1 and extortion2 7#d7 providing technical assistance and material support 7including1 as appropriate1 radars1 vessels1 and communications equipment7 to vetted specialized units of ,ecuador's national police and the armed services to disrupt1 degrade1 and dismantle organizations involved in illicit narcotics trafficking1 transnational criminal activities1 illicit mining1 and illegal1 unregulated1 and unreported fishing1 among other illicit activities2 7#e7 providing technical assistance to address challenges related to ,ecuador's penitentiary and corrections system2 7#f7 strengthening the regulatory framework of mining through collaboration with key ,ecuadorian institutions1 such as the ,interior ,ministry's ,special ,commission for the ,control of ,illegal ,mining and the ,national ,police's ,investigative ,unit on ,mining ,crimes1 and providing technical assistance in support of their law enforcement activities2 7#g7 providing technical assistance to judges1 prosecutors1 and ombudsmen to increase capacity to enforce laws against human smuggling and trafficking1 illicit mining1 illegal logging1 illegal1 unregulated1 and unreported 7,,iuu7 fishing1 and other illicit economic activities2 7#h7 providing support to the ,government of ,ecuador to prevent illegal1 unreported1 and unregulated fishing1 including through expanding detection and response capabilities1 and the use of dark vessel tracing technology2 7#i7 supporting multilateral efforts to stem illegal1 unreported1 and unregulated fishing with neighboring countries in ,south ,america and within the ,south ,pacific ,regional ,fisheries ,management ,organisation2 7#aj7 assisting the ,government of ,ecuador's efforts to protect defenders of internationally recognized human rights1 including through the work of the ,office of the ,ombudsman of ,ecuador1 and by encouraging the inclusion of ,indigenous and ,afro-,ecuadorian communities and civil society organizations in this process2 7#aa7 supporting efforts to improve transparency1 uphold accountability1 and build capacity within the ,office of the ,comptroller ,general2 7#ab7 enhancing the institutional capacity and technical capabilities of defense and security institutions of ,ecuador to conduct national or regional security missions1 including through regular bilateral and multilateral cooperation1 foreign military financing1 international military education1 and training programs1 consistent with applicable ,ecuadorian laws and regulations2 7#ac7 enhancing port management and maritime security partnerships to disrupt1 degrade1 and dismantle transnational criminal networks and facilitate the legitimate flow of people1 goods1 and services2 and 7#ad7 strengthening cybersecurity cooperation-- 7,a7 to effectively respond to cybersecurity threats1 including state-sponsored threats2 7,b7 to share best practices to combat such threats2 7,c7 to help develop and implement information architectures that respect individual privacy rights and reduce the risk that data collected through such systems will be exploited by malign state and non-state actors2 7,d7 to strengthen resilience against cyberattacks1 misinformation1 and propaganda2 and 7,e7 to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure4 #g4 ,strengthening democratic governance 7a7 ,strengthening democratic governance ,the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 should develop and implement initiatives to strengthen democratic governance in ,ecuador by supporting-- 7#a7 measures to improve the capacity of national and subnational government institutions to govern through transparent1 inclusive1 and democratic processes2 7#b7 efforts that measurably enhance the capacity of political actors and parties to strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law2 7#c7 initiatives to strengthen democratic governance1 including combating political1 administrative1 and judicial corruption and improving transparency of the administration of public budgets2 and 7#d7 the efforts of civil society organizations and independent media-- 7,a7 to conduct oversight of the ,government of ,ecuador and the ,national ,assembly of ,ecuador2 7,b7 to promote initiatives that strengthen democratic governance1 anti-corruption standards1 and public and private sector transparency2 and 7,c7 to foster political engagement between the ,government of ,ecuador1 including the ,national ,assembly of ,ecuador1 and all parts of ,ecuadorian society1 including women1 indigenous communities1 and ,afro-,ecuadorian communities4 7b7 ,legislative strengthening ,the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 working through the ,consortium for ,elections and ,political ,process ,strengthening or any equivalent or successor mechanism1 shall develop and implement programs to strengthen the ,national ,assembly of ,ecuador by providing training and technical assistance to-- 7#a7 members and committee offices of the ,national ,assembly of ,ecuador1 including the ,ethics ,committee and ,audit ,committee2 7#b7 assist in the creation of entities that can offer comprehensive and independent research and analysis on legislative and oversight matters pending before the ,national ,assembly1 including budgetary and economic issues2 and 7#c7 improve democratic governance and government transparency1 including through effective legislation4 7c7 ,bilateral legislative cooperation ,to the degree practicable1 in implementing the programs required under subsection 7b71 the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development should facilitate meetings and collaboration between members of the ,united ,states ,congress and the ,national ,assembly of ,ecuador4 #h4 ,fostering conservation and stewardship ,the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,state and the heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies1 shall develop and implement programs and enhance existing programs1 as necessary and appropriate1 to improve ecosystem conservation and enhance the effective stewardship of ,ecuador's natural resources by-- 7#a7 providing technical assistance to ,ecuador's ,ministry of the ,environment to safeguard national parks and protected forests and protected species1 while promoting the participation of ,indigenous communities in this process2 7#b7 strengthening the capacity of communities to access the right to prior consultation1 encoded in ,article #eg of the ,constitution of ,ecuador and related laws1 executive decrees1 administrative acts1 and ministerial regulations2 7#c7 supporting ,indigenous and ,afro-,ecuadorian communities as they raise awareness of threats to biodiverse ancestral lands1 including through support for local media in such communities and technical assistance to monitor illicit activities2 7#d7 partnering with the ,government of ,ecuador in support of reforestation and improving river1 lake1 and coastal water quality2 7#e7 providing assistance to communities affected by illegal mining and deforestation2 and 7#f7 fostering mechanisms for cooperation on emergency preparedness and rapid recovery from natural disasters1 including by-- 7,a7 establishing regional preparedness1 recovery1 and emergency management centers to facilitate rapid response to survey and help maintain planning on regional disaster anticipated needs and possible resources2 and 7,b7 training disaster recovery officials on latest techniques and lessons learned from ,united ,states experiences4 #i4 ,reporting requirements 7a7 ,secretary of state ,the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies as described in sections #d1 #f1 and #g7;a71 shall-- 7#a7 not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 submit to the appropriate congressional committees a comprehensive strategy to address the requirements described in sections #d1 #f1 and #g7;a72 and 7#b7 not later than #b years and #d years after submitting the comprehensive strategy under paragraph 7#a71 submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing the implementation of the strategy4 7b7 ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development ,the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 in coordination with the heads of other relevant ,federal departments and agencies as described in sections #e1 #g7;b71 and #h1 shall-- 7#a7 not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 submit to the appropriate congressional committees a comprehensive strategy to address the requirements described in sections #d1 #g7;b71 and #h2 and 7#b7 not later than #b years and #d years after submitting the comprehensive strategy under paragraph 7#a71 submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing the implementation of the strategy4 7c7 ,submission ,the strategies and reports required under subsections 7a7 and 7b7 may be submitted to the appropriate congressional committees as joint strategies and reports4 7d7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,in this ,act1 the term appropriate congressional committees means the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives4 #aj4 ,sunset ,this ,act shall terminate on the date that is #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act4