Press Release

Representative Ami Bera (D-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, today released the following statement commending Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden Administration for announcing new commitments to deepen the United States partnership with Pacific Islands nations.

"I applaud Vice President Harris and the Biden Administration for announcing new commitments to strengthen the U.S.-Pacific Islands relationship. We in Congress have been working for some time to elevate this relationship and I appreciate the Biden Administration's partnership in these efforts," said Chairman Bera. "As a Pacific nation, our security and economic well-being are inextricably tied to those of our friends and partners in the South Pacific. The Administration's announcement marks a significant investment in the U.S-Pacific Islands relationship, which has regrettably been relegated in U.S. foreign policy for far too long. These historic commitments will catalyze diplomatic engagement and people-to-people ties with our Pacific Islands friends, strengthening our abilities to tackle shared global challenges from climate change to maritime security. I look forward to working with the Biden Administration and my colleagues in Congress to further elevate this crucial region of the world in our foreign policy."

Rep. Bera is Co-Chair of the Congressional Pacific Island Caucus. He previously introduced the bipartisan and bicameral Honoring OCEANIA Act, which would elevate the Pacific Islands in U.S. foreign policymaking by delivering a more robust diplomatic and development commitment to the region. Rep. Bera is also an original co-sponsor of the BLUE Pacific Act to expand U.S. diplomatic and development presence in the Pacific Islands. Bera chaired an October 2021 House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on the strategic importance of the Pacific Islands.