We can distinguish ourselves by respecting other sovereigns — and not treating them as a colony or a client state — and that will accrue to our benefit. But that only works if we are present, if our Coast Guard, State Department, military and other agencies are present in the region.
Increase U.S. diplomatic, Coast Guard, military, and other agency presence in the Asia-Pacific while respecting regional partners' sovereignty.
Occurrences
Evidence
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
GovInfo lists S. 5131, introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz on July 23, 2026 and referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The bill's full title is: To analyze the feasibility of attaching Department of State consular officers to Coast Guard and Navy missions in Pacific Island countries.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Schatz said the FY2026 State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill was signed into law that week and would strengthen U.S. alliances and partnerships. His remarks said the law includes billions of dollars in funding to allies and partners, including those in the Indo-Pacific, and sustains investments in the diplomatic workforce with new State Department hiring authorities.
Assessments
Schatz has materially advanced the promised Asia-Pacific presence agenda through later Senate work, including an enacted FY2026 State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill supporting Indo-Pacific partners and diplomatic workforce capacity, plus a 2026 bill to study attaching State Department consular officers to Coast Guard and Navy missions in Pacific Island countries. However, the evidence shows funding, capacity-building, and a pending legislative proposal rather than a completed increase across diplomatic, Coast Guard, military, and other agency presence while respecting partner sovereignty. This warrants partial credit, not full delivery.