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Risch Praises Inclusion of SFRC Priorities in FY2023 NDAA

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today praised the inclusion of several of his Senate Foreign Relations Committee-related priorities in the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

Taiwan

“I am pleased that the FY2023 NDAA includes new security authorities to accelerate Taiwan’s military modernization and advance a closer, more collaborative U.S.-Taiwan defense relationship. China has demonstrated its willingness to use military force to coerce Taiwan under Chinese Communist Party (CCP) rule, which would be disastrous for U.S. and allied security and economic interests, as well as democracy in the Indo-Pacific.

“I first proposed a Foreign Military Financing program for Taiwan in the Taiwan Deterrence Act over a year ago. I am pleased to see that proposal grew into a bipartisan, multi-committee package that supports Taiwan in deterring and denying the authoritarian objectives of the CCP.

“Our work, however, is not done. These authorities need to be funded. The administration needs to work with us. I will be a strong advocate for funding as we consider the latest supplemental request and appropriations legislation. Deterring Chinese aggression against Taiwan, as well as pushing back on Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, are our top security priorities. We must ensure there is security funding for both.”

The Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act (Sec. 5501):

  • Authorizes up to $10 billion in Foreign Military Financing grants through 2027 for key capabilities and training for Taiwan, as well as a Foreign Military Financing loan program.
  • Authorizes $1 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority specifically for Taiwan.
  • Makes Taiwan eligible for a regional contingency stockpile program to ensure important supplies are on the island in advance of major Chinese aggression.
  • Mandates the United States and Taiwan execute a multi-year plan on capability development, training, and other solutions to deter and deny authoritarian CCP objectives.
  • Advances efforts to identify roadblocks and ways to accelerate Foreign Military Sales cases to Taiwan.

Ukraine

  • Ukraine Invasion War Crimes Deterrence and Accountability Act (Sec. 5948) to hold Putin accountable for war crimes and other atrocities committed during Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Global Health

  • Global Health Security and International Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Act (Sec. 5559) to help the United States get ahead of the next pandemic health threat from overseas.
  • Ending global wildlife poaching and trafficking (Sec. 5943) to end global wildlife poaching and trafficking.

Global Food Security

  • Global Food Security Reauthorization Act (Sec. 5588) to help the United States respond to historic humanitarian needs while helping people grow their own way out of poverty.

State Department Authorization (Sec. 9001)

  • Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act (Sec. 9301) to enhance security at U.S. diplomatic facilities.
  • Diplomatic Support and Security Act (Sec. 9302) to press the State Department to move away from risk avoidance, and towards allowing our diplomats to get out from embassy walls and back to the business of diplomacy and advancing America’s interests abroad.
  • Post-employment restrictions on Senate-confirmed officials at the Department of State (Sec. 9215) to prohibit former senior State Department officials from representing or advising adversary governments like China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, and Syria, and ban former secretaries and deputy secretaries from advising or representing any foreign government. This is the first ban of its kind in the federal government.

Asia

  • Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability (Sec. 5567) to impose sanctions pertaining to Burma and related issues.
  • Otto Warmbier Countering North Korean Censorship and Surveillance Act (Sec. 5580) to authorize sanctions related to censorship in North Korea and address related issues.

Middle East

  • Interagency strategy to disrupt and dismantle narcotics production and trafficking and affiliated networks linked to the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria (Sec. 1238) to develop a strategy to counter the dangerous flow of drugs that threatens to destabilize parts of the Middle East.
  • Iran Nuclear Weapons Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act (Sec. 5593) to monitor and develop strategies to counter Iran’s aggressive conduct.
  • Middle East integrated air and missile defense (Sec. 1658) to direct the secretaries of Defense and State to develop a strategy to develop an integrated air and missile defense network throughout the Middle East to guard against the Iranian threat and open the door to broader regional cooperation.

Africa

  • Report and feasibility study on collaboration to meet shared national security interests in East Africa (Sec. 1275) to require the Department of State to annually report to Congress on U.S. assistance to Somaliland, as well as the feasibility of establishing a U.S.-Somaliland partnership, including opportunities for collaboration on regional security issues
  • Statement of policy and report on engaging with Niger (Sec. 5597) to support continued U.S. engagement and cooperation with Niger as a key component of efforts to stabilize the Sahel region.

Western Hemisphere

  • U.S.-Ecuador Partnership Act (Sec. 5541) to encourage bilateral cooperation to promote economic prosperity and regional stability through stronger commercial ties and greater transparency, respect for the rule of law, and resilience against state and non-state malign influences.
  • FENTANYL Results Act (Sec. 5551) to facilitate global cooperation against the trafficking of certain drugs.

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