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Requires the President, with the Secretary of State and other agencies, to develop and report a U.S. Strategy for Pacific Partnership and to coordinate U.S. assistance and regional planning with allies and Pacific regional institutions. It also directs annual reporting on transnational crime affecting the Pacific Islands, extends the same immunities to the Pacific Islands Forum as other international organizations, and defines terms and which congressional committees are to receive reports.
The United States has longstanding and enduring cultural, historic, economic, strategic, and people-to-people connections with the Pacific Islands, based on shared values, cultural histories, common interests, and a commitment to fostering mutual understanding and cooperation.
The 2015 National Security Strategy declared a rebalance to Asia and the Pacific, affirmed the United States as a Pacific nation, and paved the way for subsequent U.S. engagement with the Pacific Islands.
The 2017 National Security Strategy includes a commitment to shore up fragile partner states in the Pacific Islands region to reduce their vulnerability to economic fluctuations and natural disasters.
The 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report identified the Pacific Islands as critical to United States strategy because of shared values, interests, and commitments.
The 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report recognized the need to engage further with the Pacific Islands on shared security goals.
Who is affected and how:
Pacific Island governments and communities: They are the primary focus—U.S. strategy and coordinated assistance will target their security, disaster resilience, economic development, and governance needs. The law could change how U.S. programs are planned and delivered to these governments and communities.
Pacific Islands Forum: Gains parity in legal immunities with other international organizations under U.S. law, which affects the forum’s legal protections and privileges in interactions and potential litigation involving U.S. jurisdictions.
U.S. federal agencies (State, Defense, USAID and others): Must support strategy development, coordinate programming with partners, include Pacific-focused analyses in required reports, and participate in the consultative process. This imposes planning and reporting responsibilities but does not itself provide funding.
U.S. allies and partners: Will be consulted and asked to coordinate programming and policy in the region, potentially aligning partner assistance with U.S. objectives and reducing duplication.
Congressional oversight and appropriations committees: Receive the required strategies and annual reporting, which will shape oversight and possible future funding or program decisions.
Potential benefits:
Potential limitations and risks:
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Introduced May 13, 2025 by Ed Case · Last progress May 13, 2025
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Pacific Partnership Act
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Introduced in House