US PACIFIC AGREEMENT
Metadata
- US PACIFIC AGREEMENT
- July 21, 2023
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US PACIFIC AGREEMENT (TV) HEADLINE: US Lawmakers Weigh Funding to Counter Chinese Influence on Pacific Islands TEASER: Congress deciding whether to renew $7.1 billion in economic assistance to three island partners over 20 years PUBLISHED AT: 07/21/23 at 9AM BYLINE: JESSICA STONE PRODUCERS: JESSICA STONE CONTRIBUTING: DATELINE: Capitol Hill VIDEOGRAPHER: SCRIPT EDITORS: KEnochs; Reifenrath, DJ (ok) VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, Reuters, VOA, AFP, PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:38 VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen TYPE: TVPKG UPDATE: )) ((INTRO)) [[U.S. lawmakers are reviewing a Biden administration proposal to renew 20-year-old agreements with three Pacific Island nations. The goal of the compacts, as they are called, is to counter China’s influence in the region. But time is running out for Congress to approve them. VOA’s Jessica Stone reports from Washington.]] ((Nat sound of Naval/coast guard moving through Pacific Ocean/fade to graphic)) ((NARRATION))((Mandatory Courtesy: DVIDS until the graphic comes up)) It’s a little-known lynchpin in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy — Compacts of Free Association — agreements with three Pacific Island partners that effectively allow Washington to deny Beijing access to some 5.6 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean. ((Joseph Yun, Special Envoy for Compact Negotiations)) "The underlying item in the compact is our ability to control access to the land, the sea and the air of these countries." ((NARRATION)) Joseph Yun is the chief negotiator of the compacts. He’s asking the U.S. Congress to approve 7.1 billion dollars for another 20 years of economic assistance to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Royal Marshall Islands. The current compacts expire September 30th. ((Randall Schriver, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense)) ((Zoom)) “We need to get this done, and I’m hopeful we will.” ((NARRATION)) ((Mandatory Courtesy: DVIDS)) Randall Schriver served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs under President Donald Trump. ((Randall Schriver, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense)) ((ZOOM)) “Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand — they’re all concerned that we may not be able to meet this deadline and the ramifications of that if it opens up access to China.” ((NARRATION)) Ramifications like this: Earlier this month, the Solomon Islands and China announced a police cooperation agreement. Critics worry it could lead to increased access for the Chinese military. The island nation is just 3,000 kilometers from the U.S. territory of American Samoa. ((Rep. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, American Samoa)) “We have a duty to protect the interests of Americans and island peoples alike. We do that by reauthorizing these compact agreements.” ((NARRATION)) But while initial agreements on economic assistance have already been reached by Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia — there is no final understanding between Washington and the Royal Marshall Islands. The RMI wants more funds to offset the impact of decades of U.S. nuclear testing. ((Kenneth Kedi, Marshall Islands Speaker of the Legislature)) “Food – contaminated. Land – contaminated. My parents died. One of lung cancer – metastatic brain tumor from the lungs. My father never smoked, but he had the cancer.” ((NARRATION)) Some members of Congress worry that approving funds before all underlying agreements are finalized sends the wrong message. ((Rep. Bruce Westerman, Republican)) “This could be fiscally irresponsible and open the door for the misuse of funds.” ((NARRATION)) But others say the spending is urgent and should be mandatory. ((Rep. Raul Grijalva, Democrat)) “And where the money comes from is a shared responsibility on the part of the federal government.” ((NARRATION)) ((Mandatory Courtesy: DVIDS)) With the August recess looming, lawmakers will have just a few weeks on the congressional calendar to renew the current compacts. ((Jessica Stone; VOA News.))
- Transcript/Script USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US PACIFIC AGREEMENT (TV) HEADLINE: US Lawmakers Weigh Funding to Counter Chinese Influence on Pacific Islands TEASER: Congress deciding whether to renew $7.1 billion in economic assistance to three island partners over 20 years PUBLISHED AT: 07/21/23 at 9AM BYLINE: JESSICA STONE PRODUCERS: JESSICA STONE CONTRIBUTING: DATELINE: Capitol Hill VIDEOGRAPHER: SCRIPT EDITORS: KEnochs; Reifenrath, DJ (ok) VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, Reuters, VOA, AFP, PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:38 VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen TYPE: TVPKG UPDATE: )) ((INTRO)) [[U.S. lawmakers are reviewing a Biden administration proposal to renew 20-year-old agreements with three Pacific Island nations. The goal of the compacts, as they are called, is to counter China’s influence in the region. But time is running out for Congress to approve them. VOA’s Jessica Stone reports from Washington.]] ((Nat sound of Naval/coast guard moving through Pacific Ocean/fade to graphic)) ((NARRATION))((Mandatory Courtesy: DVIDS until the graphic comes up)) It’s a little-known lynchpin in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy — Compacts of Free Association — agreements with three Pacific Island partners that effectively allow Washington to deny Beijing access to some 5.6 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean. ((Joseph Yun, Special Envoy for Compact Negotiations)) "The underlying item in the compact is our ability to control access to the land, the sea and the air of these countries." ((NARRATION)) Joseph Yun is the chief negotiator of the compacts. He’s asking the U.S. Congress to approve 7.1 billion dollars for another 20 years of economic assistance to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Royal Marshall Islands. The current compacts expire September 30th. ((Randall Schriver, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense)) ((Zoom)) “We need to get this done, and I’m hopeful we will.” ((NARRATION)) ((Mandatory Courtesy: DVIDS)) Randall Schriver served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs under President Donald Trump. ((Randall Schriver, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense)) ((ZOOM)) “Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand — they’re all concerned that we may not be able to meet this deadline and the ramifications of that if it opens up access to China.” ((NARRATION)) Ramifications like this: Earlier this month, the Solomon Islands and China announced a police cooperation agreement. Critics worry it could lead to increased access for the Chinese military. The island nation is just 3,000 kilometers from the U.S. territory of American Samoa. ((Rep. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, American Samoa)) “We have a duty to protect the interests of Americans and island peoples alike. We do that by reauthorizing these compact agreements.” ((NARRATION)) But while initial agreements on economic assistance have already been reached by Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia — there is no final understanding between Washington and the Royal Marshall Islands. The RMI wants more funds to offset the impact of decades of U.S. nuclear testing. ((Kenneth Kedi, Marshall Islands Speaker of the Legislature)) “Food – contaminated. Land – contaminated. My parents died. One of lung cancer – metastatic brain tumor from the lungs. My father never smoked, but he had the cancer.” ((NARRATION)) Some members of Congress worry that approving funds before all underlying agreements are finalized sends the wrong message. ((Rep. Bruce Westerman, Republican)) “This could be fiscally irresponsible and open the door for the misuse of funds.” ((NARRATION)) But others say the spending is urgent and should be mandatory. ((Rep. Raul Grijalva, Democrat)) “And where the money comes from is a shared responsibility on the part of the federal government.” ((NARRATION)) ((Mandatory Courtesy: DVIDS)) With the August recess looming, lawmakers will have just a few weeks on the congressional calendar to renew the current compacts. ((Jessica Stone; VOA News.))
- NewsML Media Topics Politics, Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Location (dateline) Washington DC
- Embargo Date July 21, 2023 09:13 EDT
- Byline Jessica Stone
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English