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February 6, 2024 |
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The Honorable Charles Schumer Majority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Patty Murray Chair Committee on Appropriations United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 |
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The Honorable Mitch McConnell Republican Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Susan Collins Vice-Chair Committee on Appropriations United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 |
| Dear Leaders Schumer and McConnell, Chair Murray, and Vice Chair Collins: | ||
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We write as the presidents of the three nations freely associated with the United States regarding the need for the legislation that would strengthen our associations and enable them to endure. As you know, the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2023 has been cleared on a bipartisan basis by all U.S. congressional committees of jurisdiction and was proposed to be added to the emergency supplemental appropriations legislation being discussed in the Senate. Our free associations effectively expand the United States for defense purposes to cover an expanse of the Pacific larger than the 48 contiguous United States, stretching from west of Hawaii to the Philippines and Indonesia. Our partnerships also enable the U.S. to base missiles and its earliest warning radars trained on Asia in Palau and a facility that the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff says is the world’s premier range for ICBM testing and military space operations in the Marshall Islands. They also make it possible for the U.S. to conduct military exercises in the Federated States of Micronesia. The legislation was developed through a process that President Trump personally initiated in a meeting with the presidents of our nations. Its provisions are vital to our nations and to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The agreements that this legislation would approve were to take effect last fall. Although we understand the delay in the legislation’s approval, it has generated uncertainty among our peoples. As much they identify with and appreciate the United States, which formerly governed our islands, this has resulted in undesirable opportunities for economic exploitation by competitive political actors active in the Pacific. We are very pleased by the tremendous bipartisan committee efforts on the legislation to date and cannot overstate the importance to all of our nations of final approval by the U.S. Congress.  |
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The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
The Honorable Joe Manchin III
The Honorable Ben Cardin
The Honorable John Barrasso
The Honorable James E. Risch
The Honorable Jeff Merkley
The Honorable Lisa Murkowski
The Honorable Christopher Coons
The Honorable Lindsey Graham
The Jack Reed
The Honorable Roger Wicker
The Honorable Mazie K. Hirono
The Honorable John Boozman
The Honorable Brian Schatz
The Honorable Joni Ernst
The Honorable Ron Wyden
The Honorable Rick Scott
The Honorable Martin Heinrich
The Honorable Mitt Romney
The Honorable Angus S. King, Jr.
The Honorable Bill Hagerty
The Honorable Tammy Duckworth
The Honorable Shelly Moore Capito
The Honorable Tim Kaine
The Honorable Dan Sullivan |
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