S. 2865: Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-04-27 · International Affairs · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-04-27 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative Act of 2016

Plain summary

Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish the Maritime Security Initiative to provide assistance and training through September 30, 2022, for maritime security and domain awareness for countries in the Asia-Pacific region. DOD shall prioritize assistance in order to: retain access to international waterways to ensure the free flow of commerce and achieve U.S. national security objectives, improve maritime domain awareness, counter piracy, disrupt illicit maritime trafficking activities of organizations that are a U.S. security threat, and enhance the maritime capabilities of a country or regional organization to respond to emerging maritime security threats. Assistance and training shall also promote observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms and respect for legitimate civilian authority. DOD may use funds provided for by this bill to pay incremental training-connected expenses if such payment will facilitate the participation of organization personnel in Brunei, Singapore, and Taiwan. The Arms Export Control Act is amended to extend special foreign military sales status to the Philippines. FY2017 international military education and training funds and foreign military financing assistance funds are authorized for activities in the region. The Department of State may prioritize the provision of maritime capacity building assistance to countries in the region that will contribute to the same objectives as provided in this bill for DOD. FY2017 funds are authorized for support of the Southeast Asia Maritime Law Enforcement Initiative. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended to give priority for the transfer of excess defense articles to: (1) other major U.S. non-North American Treaty Organization allies in the region (including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand); and (2) other Association of Southeast Asian Nations maritime states. The bill authorizes the transfer of one OLIVER HAZARD PERRY class guided missile frigate on a grant basis to a foreign government pursuant to the Maritime Security Initiative. The President shall ensure that the U.S. government treats every proposed arms sale for Taiwan with the same time lines, processes, and procedures accorded to proposed arms transfers for all other countries.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Yea” vote

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A “Nay” vote

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PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Brian Schatz (D-HI)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Ballot initiative: A proposed law or constitutional amendment that citizens place on the ballot by gathering enough voter signatures, so voters decide it directly. About half the states allow some form of it.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s2865.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s2865 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114