CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)

S.Amdt. 5927

S.Amdt. 5927 · Senate amendment

A Democratic amendment with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor

Changes S. 4784 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

Offered

Offered, and not voted on yet. Most amendments never get a vote: the Senate takes up the bill and moves on without them.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. Pending Consideration

What this amendment would do

The amendment, titled the South China Sea Strategy Act of 2026, aims to add a new subtitle to bill S. 4784. Its purpose is to establish a formal United States policy and a diplomatic strategy regarding the South China Sea.

Key Goals and Policies

  • Support freedom of navigation, overflight, and commerce in the South China Sea based on international law.
  • Use a rules-based approach to solve maritime disputes.
  • Counter efforts by the People's Republic of China (PRC) to treat the South China Sea as its own dominion and unilaterally change the status quo.
  • Coordinate with partners and allies to protect United States interests and the safety of United States citizens in the region.

Required Actions

  • The Secretary of State must work with the Secretary of Defense to create a Strategy for Diplomatic Engagement on the South China Sea within 180 days of the Act's enactment.
  • This strategy must outline goals for engagement with allies and littoral states (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam), designate a lead office at the Department of State, and analyze current successes and gaps in engagement.
  • The strategy must include plans to increase collective engagements on topics such as bolstering defense, managing territorial disputes, responding to grey-zone tactics, and resisting economic coercion from foreign adversaries.
  • Within 360 days, the Secretary of State must identify the budget and resources needed to implement this strategy for fiscal years 2027, 2028, and 2029.