# 119-s-820: Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act

119-s-820, Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA); status introduced (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-820
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-820
- Congress: 119
- Title: Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-03
- Sponsor: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**strengthen U.S.–Caribbean security partnerships** is the bill's main aim. It would create the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative to counter transnational crime and boost rule of law. It would authorize $88 million per year from 2025 through 2029 for 13 named Caribbean countries. - Families and communities: Would fund community policing, crime‑prevention programs for at‑risk youth, workforce development, and support for people vulnerable to extortion and gang recruitment. - Law enforcement and justice sectors: Would provide maritime and aerial interdiction support, port and border screening equipment and training, and capacity building for prosecutors, judges, anti‑corruption efforts, cybercrime cooperation, and police professionalization and vetting. - Regional resilience and oversight: Would create a five‑year disaster response and resilience program, require a 180‑day implementation strategy and annual progress updates, coordinate with USAID and the Inter‑American Foundation, use public diplomacy to explain U.S. assistance, and monitor or restrict high‑risk foreign investments and telecommunications vendors. *Would increase federal spending by $88 million per year, about $440 million over five years.*

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] (R-TX), 2025-03-03T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Disaster readiness and resilience programs: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would require a disaster resilience strategy within 180 days and start a five‑year resilience program in the named countries. The strategy must include measurable benchmarks and public outreach. Annual progress reports on the benchmarks would be required.
- Limit foreign influence and risky tech: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would direct monitoring and actions to limit influence from certain foreign authoritarian regimes in the named countries. It would evaluate and, where appropriate, restrict U.S. involvement in projects they fund, limit high‑risk telecom vendors, and promote investment screening…
- More help for police and courts: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would fund equipment, training, and technical help to fight transnational crime and gangs in the listed Caribbean countries. Activities would include maritime and air security, border and port screening, police and prosecutor training, anti‑corruption work, victim protections,…
- New Caribbean security program and funding: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would create the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. The State Department and USAID would run it for 13 named Caribbean countries. It would authorize $88 million per year for each fiscal year 2025 through 2029 to carry out the program.
- Required planning and annual reporting: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary of State and USAID to submit an implementation plan within 180 days. The plan must include benchmarks, agency roles, co‑location steps, and Haiti coordination. Agencies would provide annual results reports starting one year after the plan.

## Related bills

- 119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
- 119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
- 119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-3492: Essential Caregivers Act of 2025
- 119-s-5283: Momnibus Act

## Sources
- [119-s-820 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/820)

## Related
- [119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1071)
- [119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2120)
- [119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2819)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-3492: Essential Caregivers Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3492)
- [119-s-5283: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5283)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-820 (as of 2025-12-21).