The Executive Office of the President, USA, Office of Management Budget strongly supports the inclusion of Palau and calls it vital to national security interests in the Indo-Pacific.
Washington, D.C., December 7, 2023: The White House is expressing strong support for an amendment to H.R. 815, a bill that would authorize and fund the Compacts of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and now also Palau.
Senator Schumer, D-NY, amended the bill to include Palau’s Compact Review Agreement after it was inadvertently left out of the version submitted to the Senate.
“The Administration strongly supports the inclusion of the authorization and funding for the Compacts of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the FSM, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau, which is vital to the current and future success of our national security interests in the Indo-Pacific,” the Executive Office of the President said in a statement.
The Compacts of Free Association are agreements providing the three island nations with financial assistance and security guarantees in exchange for allowing the United States to maintain military bases on their territory.
The inclusion of Palau is a significant development, as it strengthens the US relationship with a key ally in a strategically important region.
The amended version of H.R. 815 is now under consideration by the Senate. If it is passed, it will go to the House of Representatives for approval.
The bill is expected to be voted on this week.