Sponsors (4)
The bill invests predictable U.S. funding and coordinated assistance to strengthen security, governance, and disaster resilience in Caribbean countries—trading increased taxpayer spending and administrative/diplomatic risks for potentially large, long-term gains in regional stability and protection of communities.
Residents in beneficiary Caribbean countries (and U.S. regional partners) will see reduced transnational crime and improved public safety through strengthened policing, border and maritime interdiction, financial-crimes capacity, and coordinated crime-prevention programs.
Local and national governments in beneficiary countries (and U.S. agencies supporting them) will gain stronger governance, anti-corruption measures, prosecutorial and rule-of-law capacity plus predictable multi-year funding and public benchmarks that improve accountability and the investment climate.
Communities in beneficiary countries (urban and rural) will get faster, better-coordinated disaster response and reduce future rebuilding costs and casualties by adopting resilient construction and preparedness best practices shared through the program.
U.S. taxpayers will fund approximately $88 million per year (FY2025–2029) plus related program costs, increasing federal foreign assistance outlays.
People in beneficiary countries risk human-rights abuses if U.S.-supported police and security forces are not adequately vetted and held accountable.
U.S. agencies and partner governments face added administrative burdens and potential implementation delays from coordination, planning, and annual reporting requirements, which can divert staff time and funds from programs.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes CBSI activities and $88M/year for FY2025–FY2029 to bolster public safety, rule-of-law, anti-corruption, and disaster resilience in a specified list of Caribbean countries.
Official title: To authorize the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to enhance the United States-Caribbean security partnership, to prioritize natural disaster resilience, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 14, 2025 by Adriano J. Espaillat · Last progress July 14, 2025
Authorizes and funds a five-year U.S. Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) to strengthen public safety, law enforcement, rule of law, anti-corruption, crime prevention, and disaster resilience in a specified list of Caribbean and nearby countries. It directs State and USAID to create a multi-year implementation plan with measurable benchmarks, annual progress reports, and coordination across federal agencies, and it provides $88 million per year for FY2025–FY2029 for program activities. Also requires a five-year disaster response and resilience program run by State, USAID, and the Inter-American Foundation with a strategy and annual progress updates to Congress, including public communications to beneficiary-country citizens about U.S. assistance.