Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative
This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative. The bill also authorizes various related programs.
The initiative shall seek to (1) enhance U.S. presence in the region by positioning U.S. capabilities to allow timely response to adversarial threats, (2) strengthen the capability of U.S. forces and regional allies and partners, and (3) meet objectives under the National Defense Strategy.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command may carry out social media-related activities to counter misinformation and propaganda in the region.
The bill also authorizes for FY2021 various activities and projects, including
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6613 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6613
To direct the Secretary of Defense to strengthen the United States
commitment to the security of the Indo-Pacific region and to increase
military readiness to defend the homeland and underwrite United States
national interests, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 23, 2020
Mr. Thornberry introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on
Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Defense to strengthen the United States
commitment to the security of the Indo-Pacific region and to increase
military readiness to defend the homeland and underwrite United States
national interests, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Indo-Pacific
Deterrence Initiative''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Sense of Congress regarding Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative.
Sec. 3. Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative.
TITLE I--MATTERS RELATING TO INCREASED PRESENCE AND JOINT FORCE
LETHALITY
Sec. 101. Missile defense capability and defense radar.
Sec. 102. Intelligence enhancements.
Sec. 103. Sense of Congress regarding rotational bomber presence.
Sec. 104. Increased undersea warfare capability.
Sec. 105. Special Operations Command Joint Task Force Indo-Pacific.
Sec. 106. Operation influence platform.
Sec. 107. Marine rotational forces.
Sec. 108. Sense of Congress on long-range precision fires.
TITLE II--MATTERS RELATED TO ENHANCED PREPOSITIONING AND LOGISTICS
Sec. 201. Indo-Pacific contingency regional based cluster
prepositioning kits.
Sec. 202. Ship prepositioning and surge.
Sec. 203. Munitions stocks and storage.
Sec. 204. Movement and coordination center in the Indo-Pacific region.
Sec. 205. Marine Prepositioning Force.
TITLE III--MATTERS RELATING TO IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE
Sec. 301. Construction and land acquisition projects.
Sec. 302. Strategic construction projects.
TITLE IV--MATTERS RELATING TO STRENGTHENING ALLY AND PARTNER CAPABILITY
Sec. 401. Mission partner environment.
Sec. 402. Counter-terrorism information facility.
Sec. 403. Indo-PACOM and National Guard related engagements.
Sec. 404. Security cooperation and capacity building.
Sec. 405. Pacific Partnership.
TITLE V--MATTERS RELATED TO EXERCISES AND TRAINING
Sec. 501. Joint exercise program.
Sec. 502. Training range exercise plan and design.
Sec. 503. Joint division level exercises.
Sec. 504. Training and exercises.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INDO-PACIFIC DETERRENCE INITIATIVE.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Section 1251 of the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115-91), as amended by section
1253 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115-232), authorized the Indo-
Pacific Stability Initiative to enhance the security and
stability of the Indo-Pacific region and required the
Department of Defense to provide a future years plan for the
activities, capabilities, and resources necessary to--
(A) increase the rotational and forward presence,
improve capabilities, and enhance the posture of the
United States Armed Forces in the Indo-Pacific region;
(B) improve military and defense infrastructure,
basing, logistics, and assured access in the Indo-
Pacific region to enhance the responsiveness,
survivability, and operational resilience;
(C) enhance the storage and pre-positioning in the
Indo-Pacific region of equipment and munitions; and
(D) increase bilateral and multilateral military
training and exercises with allies and partners in the
Indo-Pacific region.
(2) The European Deterrence Initiative, announced in 2014
as the European Reassurance Initiative with a total amount of
$21,800,000,000 in obligated funds and an additional
$4,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, has enabled the United
States to enhance the deterrence posture of the United States,
increase the readiness and responsiveness of United States
Armed Forces in Europe, support the collective defense and
security of NATO allies, and bolster the security and capacity
of allies and partners to address specific operational
challenges vis-a-vis Russia.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the security, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-
Pacific region is vital to the United States national interests
and a coherent and strategic initiative, supported by
congressional appropriations, is necessary to compete and deter
adversaries in the region;
(2) an initiative in the Indo-Pacific region that is
similar to the European Deterrence Initiative is necessary to
enhance United States presence and positioning, allow for
additional exercises, improve infrastructure and logistics, and
build allied and partner capacity to deter aggression,
strengthen ally and partner interoperability, and demonstrate
United States commitment to Indo-Pacific nations to address
specific operational challenges in the Pacific, especially vis-
a-vis China;
(3) the Department of Defense should carry out such an
initiative, as authorized by Congress under section 1251 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public
Law 115-91), as amended by section 1253 of the John S. McCain
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public
Law 115-232), to implement the National Defense Strategy that
aims to defend and defeat against strategic competitors and
increase presence, enhance prepositioning, improve
infrastructure, increase exercises and training, and strengthen
ally and partner capability;
(4) the Indo-Pacific Command's independent assessment to
Congress outlining the resourcing requirements to Regain the
Advantage establishes the linkages between the strategy,
required capacity, capabilities, and budgetary priorities; and
(5) the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative, established
under section 3, will assist in resourcing budgetary priorities
and enhancing transparency and oversight of programs and
activities to increase deterrence and strengthen ally and
partner capability in the Indo-Pacific region and better enable
a coordinated and strategic plan for Department of Defense
programs.
SEC. 3. INDO-PACIFIC DETERRENCE INITIATIVE.
(a) In General.--For the purpose of enhancing the United States
deterrence and defense posture in the Indo-Pacific region, assuring
allies and partners, and increasing capability and readiness to deter
and defend against any aggression by an adversary, the Secretary of
Defense shall carry out an initiative, to be known as the ``Indo-
Pacific Deterrence Initiative''. Under such initiative, the Secretary
shall--
(1) provide increased presence by positioning the right
capabilities in key locations in order to respond to
adversarial threats in a timely manner;
(2) enhance prepositioning, infrastructure, and logistics;
(3) strengthen the capability of United States forces and
allies and partners in the region;
(4) increase readiness through training and exercises; and
(5) exercise the authorities of the Secretary to meet
objectives under the National Defense Strategy.
(b) Funding.--Amounts may be made available to carry out subsection
(a) as follows:
(1) For fiscal year 2021, $6,089,000,000, from amounts
authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Defense for
that fiscal year for Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide.
(2) Not later than five days after the date on which the
President submits to Congress the budget for fiscal year 2022
and for each subsequent fiscal year, the Secretary of Defense,
in consultation with the Commander of United States Indo-
Pacific Command, shall submit to Congress the estimated
expenditures and proposed appropriations included in the budget
for the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative. The budget shall
include proposed funding for each of the following with respect
to the Indo-Pacific Deterrence Initiative:
(A) Presence and joint force lethality.
(B) Prepositioning and logistics.
(C) Infrastructure.
(D) Strengthening allies and partners in the Indo-
Pacific region.
(E) Exercises and training.
(F) Procurements.
(G) Any other matters determined appropriate by the
Secretary of Defense.
(c) End of Fiscal Year Report.--Not later than January 15, 2021,
and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with
the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall submit to
the congressional defense committees a report that contains a detailed
summary of the activities and resources of the Indo-Pacific Deterrence
Initiative referred to in subsections (a) and (b).
(d) Briefing.--Not later than March 1, 2021, and annually
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional
defense committees a briefing on the status of all matters covered by
the most recently submitted report required by section (c) and a
preview of budget proposal and programs for the fiscal year subsequent
to the fiscal year during which the briefing is conducted.
(e) Budget Display Information.--The Secretary of Defense shall
include a detailed budget display for the Indo-Pacific Deterrence
Initiative referenced in subsection (a) and (b) in the materials
submitted to Congress in support of the President's budget for fiscal
year 2022 and for each subsequent fiscal year.
TITLE I--MATTERS RELATING TO INCREASED PRESENCE AND JOINT FORCE
LETHALITY
SEC. 101. MISSILE DEFENSE CAPABILITY AND DEFENSE RADAR.
(a) Integrated Air and Missile Defense Enhancements.--There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $77,000,000
for fiscal year 2021 for a permanent and persistent land-based
integrated air and missile defense system and associated weapon
delivery system on Guam.
(b) Missile Defense Radar in Hawaii.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $162,000,000 for fiscal year
2021 for a homeland defense radar in Hawaii.
(c) Missile Defense Agency.--There is authorized to be appropriated
to the Secretary of Defense $312,813,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the
Missile Defense Agency for operations and maintenance and research,
development, test, and evaluation, for the Indo-Pacific region.
SEC. 102. INTELLIGENCE ENHANCEMENTS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretaries of the
military departments $378,557,000 for fiscal year for intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance capability to enhance indications and
warnings, sensor packages, the development of future intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms, and interoperable
processing, exploitation, and dissemination architectures, for the
United States Indo-Pacific Command.
SEC. 103. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ROTATIONAL BOMBER PRESENCE.
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense, in
consultation with the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff
of the Air Force, should take immediate steps to retain and maintain a
rotational bomber presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
SEC. 104. INCREASED UNDERSEA WARFARE CAPABILITY.
It is the sense of Congress that United States Indo-Pacific Command
should maintain its advantage in undersea warfare and the Department of
Defense should continue to make investments in additional attack
submarines, munitions, and other anti-submarine warfare systems in the
United States Indo-Pacific Command area of operations.
SEC. 105. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND JOINT TASK FORCE INDO-PACIFIC.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense
$6,300,000 for fiscal year 2021 for Special Operations Command Indo-
Pacific to conduct information operations to support United States
Indo-Pacific Command.
SEC. 106. OPERATION INFLUENCE PLATFORM.
(a) In General.--The Commander of United States Indo-Pacific
Command may carry out an operational influence platform that leverages
social media and advanced online marketing techniques to counter
misinformation and propaganda by malicious actors by delivering
messages through traditional, digital, and emerging media in the Indo-
Pacific region.
(b) Briefing.--Not later than February 1, 2021, the Commander of
United States Indo-Pacific Command or the Secretary of Defense and
Joint Staff shall provide to the congressional defense committees a
briefing on the implementation of this section.
(c) Coordination.--The Commander of United States Indo-Pacific
Command or the Secretary of Defense and Joint Staff shall consult with
the Secretary of State as appropriate to ensure that the operational
influence platform is coordinated with other United States information
statecraft initiatives and mechanisms, including the public diplomacy
efforts of the Department of State, the counter propaganda and
disinformation work of the Global Engagement Center, and relevant
interagency coordination groups.
SEC. 107. MARINE ROTATIONAL FORCES.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Navy
$105,977,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the Marine Corps to support a
Marine Unit Deployment Program and rotational presence in the Indo-
Pacific region.
SEC. 108. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON LONG-RANGE PRECISION FIRES.
It is the sense of Congress that each military department should
continue developing long-range precision fires systems and develop a
plan to posture the systems throughout the Indo-Pacific region,
including with respect to both land-attack and anti-ship missiles to
enhance joint force maneuver.
TITLE II--MATTERS RELATED TO ENHANCED PREPOSITIONING AND LOGISTICS
SEC. 201. INDO-PACIFIC CONTINGENCY REGIONAL BASED CLUSTER
PREPOSITIONING KITS.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that to set the
theater and enable the execution of current operations, training,
exercises, and contingencies, contingency regional based clusters
prepositioning kits are necessary to provide theater-wide rapid
response capability in the Indo-Pacific region.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of the Air Force $150,000,000 for fiscal
year 2021 to provide contingency regional based cluster prepositioning
kits to support the operations, actions, and activities of the Air
Forces in the Indo-Pacific region.
SEC. 202. SHIP PREPOSITIONING AND SURGE.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Navy
$497,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for ship prepositioning and surge
capacity to the Indo-Pacific Command area of operations.
SEC. 203. MUNITIONS STOCKS AND STORAGE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall procure and
proposition key munitions in the United States specifically for the
United States Indo-Pacific Command area of operations for employment in
the event of a contingency to address shortfalls in critical munitions
inventories, including infrastructure modernization and improved
prepositioning of munitions.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the funds authorized to be
appropriated for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2021, not
less than $819,000,000 shall be for the exclusive use in the Indo-
Pacific area of operations to carry out subsection (a).
SEC. 204. MOVEMENT AND COORDINATION CENTER IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION.
(a) Authority To Establish.--The Secretary of Defense, with
concurrence of the Secretary of State, may authorize--
(1) the establishment of a movement and coordination center
for the Indo-Pacific region, to be known as the ``Movement
Coordination Center Pacific''; and
(2) the participation of the Department of Defense in an
air and ship transport, air-to-air and ship-to-ship refueling,
and other exchanges of services programs of the Movement and
Coordination Center Pacific.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $1,120,000 for fiscal year
2021 for the Movement Coordination Center Pacific.
SEC. 205. MARINE PREPOSITIONING FORCE.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commandant of the
Marine Corps, $87,171,000 for fiscal year 2021 to support prepositioned
logistics for Marine Propositioning Force to the Indo-Pacific area of
operations.
TITLE III--MATTERS RELATING TO IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE
SEC. 301. CONSTRUCTION AND LAND ACQUISITION PROJECTS.
(a) Military Departments.--There is authorized to be appropriated
to the Secretaries of the military departments $1,162,972,000 for
fiscal year 2021 for military construction, land acquisition, and
military family housing functions.
(b) Defense-Wide.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary of Defense $79,500,000 for fiscal year 2021 for military
construction, Defense-wide, land acquisition, and military housing
functions of the Department of Defense.
(c) Required Military Construction Restoration.--There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense and to the
Secretaries of the military departments for fiscal year 2021,
$885,000,000, for required military construction restoration in the
Indo-Pacific region.
SEC. 302. STRATEGIC CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commander of Indo-
Pacific Command $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for support for the
planning and design of emergent posture requirements for the Indo-
Pacific theater.
TITLE IV--MATTERS RELATING TO STRENGTHENING ALLY AND PARTNER CAPABILITY
SEC. 401. MISSION PARTNER ENVIRONMENT.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for a program to enable communications
capability and interoperability requirements to modernize
communications architecture and systems with allies and partners in the
Indo-Pacific region, including exercise planning, execution, and
associated equipment purchasing costs.
SEC. 402. COUNTER-TERRORISM INFORMATION FACILITY.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense
$2,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 for technical support to build
multilateral partnership capacity focused on counter-terrorism in the
Indo-Pacific region.
SEC. 403. INDO-PACOM AND NATIONAL GUARD-RELATED ENGAGEMENTS.
(a) In General.--The Commander of United States Indo-Pacific
Command, in coordination with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau
and the Adjutant General of each State participating in the National
Guard State Partnership Program, shall seek to build partner capacity
and interoperability through increased military-to-military
engagements, National Guard Bureau pay and allowances, and traditional
activities of the combatant commands.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $6,133,199 for fiscal year
2021 to carry out this section.
SEC. 404. SECURITY COOPERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense
$290,662,000 for fiscal year 2021 for security cooperation programs
dedicated to the United States Indo-Pacific Command, including the
Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative.
SEC. 405. PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense
$5,380,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the annual multilateral
humanitarian and civic assistance and disaster relief preparedness
mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific region known as Pacific
Partnership.
TITLE V--MATTERS RELATED TO EXERCISES AND TRAINING
SEC. 501. JOINT EXERCISE PROGRAM.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense
$128,452,000 for fiscal year 2021 for the enhancement of joint training
and exercises through the Combatant Commanders Exercise Engagement and
Training Transformation Program.
SEC. 502. TRAINING RANGE EXERCISE PLAN AND DESIGN.
(a) Plan Required.--The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in
coordination with the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command,
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to
integrate all major test and training ranges in the United States Indo-
Pacific Command area of operations and to support future joint training
and exercises to test operational capabilities and weapon systems. The
plan shall provide for the incorporation of space and cyber activities
into the training range exercise plan.
(b) Authorization for Plan and Design Assessment.--There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense $800,000 for
fiscal year 2021 for associated plan and design assessment studies to
implement the plan required under subsection (a).
SEC. 503. JOINT DIVISION LEVEL EXERCISES.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretaries of the
military departments $364,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 to support
United States Army Pacific, in coordination with United States Indo-
Pacific Command, the Service Components, and Service Headquarters, in
leading a Division Level exercise in the Indo-Pacific region.
SEC. 504. TRAINING AND EXERCISES.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretaries of the
military departments for fiscal year 2021, $507,747,000 for training
and exercises in the Indo-Pacific area of operations.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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