US-Japan-ROK Trilateral Cooperation Act

Key Points

• This bill would create a formal group of eight U.S. lawmakers to meet regularly with leaders from the legislatures of Japan and South Korea. The goal is to build a stronger, more permanent partnership between the three countries to handle challenges in the Pacific region.
• The group would focus on several key areas including maritime security, protecting democratic institutions from foreign interference, and keeping the Pacific region free and open for trade. This builds on agreements made during a major meeting at Camp David in 2023.
• The U.S. team would include two members from each party in both the House and the Senate. They would be required to meet at least once a year to share information and coordinate on shared values and interests.
• If the bill passes, the State Department would have 180 days to start negotiations with Japan and South Korea to set up the official agreement. This ensures that the cooperation continues even as different leaders come into office in each country.

Impact Analysis

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