Womack, Hill join lawmakers to advocate renewed agreements with Pacific nations

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KNWA/KFTA) — Rep. Steve Womack and Rep. French Hill, both of Arkansas, joined other Congress members to ask House Speaker Mike Johnson to include an act that focuses on renewing the United States’ relationship with three Pacific nations.

According to a letter written by several Congress members, The Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2023 would update and extend provisions to Palau, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia for the next 20 years that provide economic assistance and federal programs.

The letter says provisions for the Marshall Islands and Micronesia expired last fiscal year and Palau is funded at a reduced level until the end of the current fiscal year.

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According to the letter, all three nations signed agreements to renew the provisions and it would be up to Congress to complete the approval process for the agreements.

The U.S. is granted basing rights, operational control and the right to deny military access by third nations to the three island nations and is responsible for the nations’ national defense, according to the letter. In return, the U.S. provides grant assistance payments and federal services without the requirement of reimbursement.

“The COFA are the cornerstone of U.S. presence in the Pacific Islands and have been recognized as strategically critical by numerous national security documents, including the 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy,” the letter states.

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