H.R. 3429

US-Japan-ROK Trilateral Cooperation Act

Sponsor: Ami Bera

20 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

US-Japan-ROK Trilateral Cooperation Act

This bill requires the Department of State to seek to enter negotiations with the governments of Japan and South Korea with the goal of establishing regular trilateral meetings (referred to as the US-Japan-ROK Inter-Parliamentary Dialogue) to facilitate closer cooperation on shared interests and values.

The bill sets forth membership requirements for a group representing the United States in such meetings. The group must be composed of not more than eight Members of Congress appointed by congressional leaders to serve for a term of two years.

The bill also sets forth guidance and requirements for meeting frequency and location, group leadership, gifts and donations, expenditures, and reports. 

Text of the bill

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Sec. 2. Sense of Congress Since introduced

It is the sense of Congress that—

(1) the United States should continue to strengthen trilateral cooperation between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (in this Act referred to as the ROK) to enhance and implement a shared vision to meet regional challenges and to promote a free, open, inclusive, resilient, and healthy Indo-Pacific region;

(2) the historic Camp David summit on August 18, 2023, marked a new era of trilateral partnership between the United States, Japan, and the ROK, reaffirming their commitment to align collective efforts for regional security and prosperity;

(3) the Spirit of Camp David, as outlined in the joint statement, should guide future trilateral cooperation, emphasizing shared values, strategic alignment, and commitment to regional peace and stability;

(4) the United States, Japan, and the ROK should enhance Trilateral Maritime Security Cooperation to promote stability and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region;

(5) the United States, Japan, and the ROK should collaborate on countering foreign information manipulation and interference to protect democratic institutions and promote accurate information sharing;

(6) President Biden’s decision to elevate the US-Japan-ROK trilateral partnership to the leaders level was critical to bolstering cooperation, and all three countries should work to ensure that the Trilateral Leaders’ Summit continues to take place regularly;

(7) the ambitious framework for ongoing cooperation laid out by the three leaders at the historic Camp David summit on August 18, 2023, should continue and be strengthened; and

(8) the formation of a regular US-Japan-ROK Inter-Parliamentary Dialogue will—

(A) sustain and deepen engagement between senior officials of the three countries on a full spectrum of issues; and

(B) be modeled on the successful and long-standing bilateral inter-parliamentary groups between the United States and other allied nations.