December 19, 2024

Duckworth Discusses NDAA Priorities to Strengthen Indo-Pacific Partnerships with Filipino Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—met yesterday with Filipino Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez. In their meeting, the two discussed their shared ongoing priorities as well as some of the ways Senator Duckworth is working to strengthen the alliance between the U.S. and the Philippines while bolstering security in the Indo-Pacific region through the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the Senate yesterday and now heads to the President’s desk for his signature. Photos of the meeting can be found on the Senator’s website.

“I was glad to meet with Ambassador Romualdez to discuss the different ways we can keep working together to further strengthen the U.S.-Philippine Alliance,” said Senator Duckworth. “During our conversation, I’m glad I had a chance to share some of the provisions I secured in this year’s bipartisan defense bill that will help grow our strategic partnerships in the region while expanding medical readiness for U.S. servicemembers. I look forward to continuing to work together with our friends in the Philippines and across the region to ensure security and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific.”

In the FY2025 NDAA, Duckworth secured several provisions to enhance strategic partnerships and advance U.S. priorities in the Indo-Pacific, including a provision to improve medical readiness for our servicemembers in the Indo-Pacific—which is a modified version of Duckworth’s Access to Care for Overseas Troops Act. Additionally, a Duckworth-led provision in this year’s NDAA would reinforce the U.S.-Vietnam Relationship by extending the duration of the Vietnam Wartime Accounting Initiative and clarifying the purpose of the cooperative program to expand its activities.

Duckworth is a proven leader when it comes to strengthening our relations with Indo-Pacific nations and improving security in the region—which she has done while successfully securing significant international investments in Illinois. In July, Duckworth made an official visit to Laos and Vietnam to reinforce America’s commitment to our partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), strengthening U.S.-ASEAN economic ties and building on the foundations of the U.S.-Laos relationship. In May, she led a bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation to Taiwan to underscore and reaffirm our nation’s strong bipartisan support for the Taiwanese people. Last year, Duckworth visited the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia to meet with government and business leaders and discuss opportunities that would increase cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as economic investments, regional stability and national security. Additionally, Duckworth led an official visit to Japan and Indonesia last year as part of her continuing efforts to strengthen ties and reinforce support between allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region and the United States.

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