United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016
Public Law 114-291 · H.R. 4939 · 114th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Dec 16, 2016 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY-16)
Cosponsors (9): Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Rep. Carlos Curbelo,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016
(Sec. 2) This bill declares that it is U.S. policy to increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean region, including the private sector, and with civil society in both the United States and the Caribbean.
(Sec. 3) The Department of State shall submit to Congress a multi-year strategy for U.S. engagement to support the efforts of interested nations in the Caribbean region that:
• identifies State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) priorities for U.S. policy towards the Caribbean region;
• outlines an approach to partner with Caribbean governments to improve citizen security, reduce illicit drug trafficking, strengthen the rule of law, and improve the effectiveness and longevity of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI);
• encourages efforts of the region to implement regional and national strategies that improve Caribbean energy security by increasing access to all available sources of energy, including by taking advantage of the indigenous energy sources of the Caribbean and the ongoing energy revolution in the United States;
• improves diplomatic engagement with Caribbean governments;
• describes how the United States can develop an approach to supporting Caribbean countries in efforts they are willing to undertake with their own resources to diversify their economies; and
• describes ways to ensure the active participation of citizens of the Caribbean in existing program and initiatives administered by the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
(Sec. 4) The State Department shall offer to annually brief the appropriate congressional committees on efforts to implement such strategy.
(Sec. 5) The President shall report within two years on progress made in implementing such strategy.
(Sec. 6) The Foreign Service Act of 1980 is amended to eliminate from the State Department's Foreign Service workplace report descriptions of steps taken in furtherance of compatibility and the development of uniform procedures and consolidated personnel functions.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 26 actions.
- Dec 16, 2016Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 114-291.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 15, 2016FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Dec 13, 2016Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Smith (NJ) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and agree to the Senate amendment.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Dec 12, 2016FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 10, 2016FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Dec 7, 2016CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 713.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Dec 6, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Jun 14, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Jun 13, 2016FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 386 - 6 (Roll no. 297).House roll call 297
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4939.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Royce moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Apr 20, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Apr 14, 2016CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 5177SenateSen. Bob CorkerR-TN· offered Dec 10, 2016Agreed to
To revise the multi-year strategy requirement regarding diplomatic engagement with Caribbean region governments.
Dec 10, 2016: Amendment SA 5177 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.