,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ciej ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #bi1 #bjbb ,mr4 ,durbin 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,grassley1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,florida1 ,mr4 ,king1 ,mr4 ,blunt1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,cassidy1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,ms4 ,hassan1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 and ,mr4 ,coons7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,baltic ,security and ,economic ,enhancement ,initiative for the purpose of increasing security and economic ties with the ,baltic countries and to establish the ,baltic ,security ,initiative for the purpose of deepening security cooperation with the ,baltic countries1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,baltic ,defense and ,deterrence ,act4 #b4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 supporting and strengthening the security of ,estonia1 ,latvia1 and ,lithuania 7referred to in this ,act as the ,baltic countries7 is in the national security interests of the ,united ,states2 7#b7 continuing to strengthen and update the ,united ,states-,baltics security cooperation roadmap is critical to achieving strategic security priorities as the ,baltic countries face ongoing belligerence and threats from the ,russian ,federation1 including amid the ,russian ,federation's illegal and unprovoked war in ,ukraine that began on ,february #bd1 #bjbb2 7#c7 the ,united ,states should encourage advancement of the ,three ,seas ,initiative to strengthen transport1 energy1 and digital infrastructures among ,eastern ,european countries1 including the ,baltic countries2 and 7#d7 improved economic ties between the ,united ,states and the ,baltic countries1 including to counter economic pressure by the ,people's ,republic of ,china1 offer an opportunity to strengthen the ,united ,states-,baltic strategic partnership4 #c4 ,baltic ,security and ,economic ,enhancement ,initiative 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary of ,state shall establish and implement an initiative1 to be known as the ,baltic ,security and ,economic ,enhancement ,initiative1 for the purpose of increasing security and economic ties with the ,baltic countries4 7b7 ,objectives ,the objectives of the ,baltic ,security and ,economic ,enhancement ,initiative shall be-- 7#a7 to ensure timely delivery of security assistance to the ,baltic countries1 prioritizing assistance to bolster defenses against hybrid warfare and improve interoperability with the military forces of the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization2 7#b7 to mitigate the impact on the ,baltic countries of economic coercion by the ,russian ,federation and the ,people's ,republic of ,china2 7#c7 to identify new opportunities for foreign direct investment and ,united ,states business ties2 and 7#d7 to bolster ,united ,states support for the economic and energy security needs of the ,baltic countries1 including by convening an annual trade forum with the ,baltic countries and the ,united ,states ,international ,development ,finance ,corporation4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated for the ,department of ,state1 #fj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg to carry out the initiative authorized under subsection 7a74 #d4 ,baltic ,security ,initiative 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary of ,defense shall establish and implement an initiative1 to be known as the ,baltic ,security ,initiative1 for the purpose of deepening security cooperation with the ,baltic countries4 7b7 ,objectives ,the objectives of the ,baltic ,security ,initiative shall be-- 7#a7 to achieve ,united ,states national security objectives1 including deterring aggression by the ,russian ,federation and bolstering the long-term security of ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization allies2 7#b7 to enhance regional planning and cooperation among the ,baltic countries1 particularly with respect to long-term regional capability projects1 including-- 7,a7 long-range precision fire systems and capabilities2 7,b7 integrated air and missile defense2 7,c7 maritime domain awareness2 7,d7 land forces development1 including stockpiling large caliber ammunition2 7,e7 command1 control1 communications1 computers1 intelligence1 surveillance1 and reconnaissance2 7,f7 special operations forces development2 and 7,g7 coordination with and security enhancements for ,poland1 which is a neighboring ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization ally2 and 7#c7 to improve the ,baltic countries' cyber defenses and resilience to hybrid threats4 7c7 ,strategy 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall submit to ,congress a report setting forth the strategy of the ,department of ,defense to achieve the objectives described in subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,considerations ,the strategy required by paragraph 7#a7 shall include a consideration of-- 7,a7 security assistance programs for the ,baltic countries managed by the ,department of ,state2 7,b7 the ongoing security threats to the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization's eastern flank posed by ,russian aggression1 including as a result of the ,russian ,federation's #bjbb invasion of ,ukraine with support from ,belarus2 and 7,c7 rising tensions with1 and presence in the ,baltic countries of1 the ,people's ,republic of ,china1 including economic bullying of the ,baltic countries by the ,people's ,republic of ,china4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated for the ,department of ,defense1 #bej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg to carry out the initiative authorized under subsection 7a74