The U.S. House of Representatives has approved H.R. 4490, known as the Providing Appropriate Recognition and Treatment Needed to Enhance Relations (PARTNER) Act. The bill was led by U.S. Representative Young Kim, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, in partnership with Representative Joaquin Castro.
H.R. 4490 includes the PARTNER with ASEAN Act and Pacific Partnership Act, initiatives that Rep. Kim spearheaded to increase U.S. cooperation with Indo-Pacific allies.
“The Indo-Pacific is central to America’s national and economic security—when we show up for our allies in the region, we win,” stated Rep. Kim. “The PARTNER Act is a necessary reaffirmation of America’s engagement with allies and partner organizations around the world. I’m proud to work alongside Rep. Castro to strengthen key partnerships and promote a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
Rep. Castro added: “The PARTNER Act is a concrete step to strengthen U.S. leadership, deepen our alliances, and keep America at the center of global diplomacy and science. At a time when our competitors are working overtime to expand their influence in Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Africa, we cannot afford to sit back. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill and get it on the President’s desk.”
Young Kim represents California’s 40th district in Congress since 2021 after succeeding Gil Cisneros; she previously served in the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2016 (https://kim.house.gov/about). Born in Incheon, South Korea in 1962, Kim currently resides in La Habra (https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-pol-ca-california-congress-members-2023/young-kim/). She graduated from the University of Southern California with a BBA in 1985.
