Strengthening the Quad Act

The bill would require the Secretary of State to begin negotiations — within 60 days of enactment — toward a written agreement with Australia, India, and Japan to establish a Quad Inter-Parliamentary Working Group. Once that agreement is reached, it would create a U.S. Group of up to 24 Members of Congress, evenly split between the House and Senate, to represent the United States. The U.S. Group would meet at least annually with the other countries' legislators, report yearly to congressional foreign affairs committees, and receive regular briefings from senior U.S. officials before and after major Quad dialogues. Separately, the Secretary of State would have 180 days to submit to Congress a comprehensive strategy for bolstering Quad engagement, covering existing and proposed initiatives in areas such as technology cooperation, energy innovation, critical minerals, infrastructure, global health security, and intelligence sharing.

The bill would not itself establish the working group — that depends on successful negotiations with the three foreign governments. It does not appropriate funds for the group's operations, though it would allow the U.S. Group to accept donated services or property subject to congressional ethics review.

The State Department and senior U.S. officials who would conduct negotiations and produce the strategy; Members of Congress appointed to the U.S. Group (up to 24, drawn from the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations committees and the broader membership); the legislatures and governments of Australia, India, and Japan; and U.S. policy stakeholders in areas covered by Quad initiatives — including technology, energy, critical minerals, infrastructure, and global health.

If enacted, the bill would give Congress a formal, institutionalized seat at the Quad table rather than relying on ad hoc briefings. Lawmakers on the U.S. Group would engage directly with Australian, Indian, and Japanese legislators, and senior executive-branch officials would be required to keep them informed — strengthening congressional oversight of a diplomatic framework that spans security, technology, and economic competition in the Indo-Pacific.

The State Department would first seek negotiations within 60 days and produce a Quad strategy report within 180 days of enactment. The U.S. Group would only be formally established once a written inter-governmental agreement is reached. Members would be appointed by the Speaker of the House (on minority leader recommendations) and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate (on bipartisan leadership recommendations). The group would meet at least annually with Quad partners — in the U.S., abroad during congressional recesses, or virtually — submit annual activity and expenditure reports to the relevant committees, and receive regular executive-branch briefings before and after major Quad summits.