Salazar Advances Bipartisan Caribbean Security Bill to the House Floor

Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, during a markup of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) advanced H.R. 4368, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act, bipartisan legislation she introduced alongside Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) to strengthen U.S.–Caribbean security cooperation and counter criminal and authoritarian threats in the region. The committee approved an amended version of the bill, sending it to the House floor for consideration.

The legislation authorizes and modernizes the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) to strengthen maritime and border security, combat transnational organized crime, disrupt illicit financial networks, enhance law enforcement and prosecutorial capacity, fight corruption, and improve resilience to natural disasters across the Caribbean.

“After cutting off the economic oxygen sustaining Maduro’s regime, the United States is back where it belongs in the Caribbean, standing shoulder to shoulder with our partners and taking on criminal networks,” said Rep. María Elvira Salazar. “But the work is not finished. Transnational gangs, narco-traffickers, and corrupt networks, backed by Communist Cuba, Communist China, Russia, and Iran, continue to undermine the rule of law across the region. This bill draws a clear line: the Caribbean is not for sale. It strengthens security, confronts corruption, and makes clear that America, not Beijing or Havana, is the partner of choice in our hemisphere. America First means the Americas first.”

The legislation prioritizes cooperation with democratic allies such as the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Guyana, while rejecting partnerships with dictators and authoritarian regimes.

The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act reinforces the United States’ long-term commitment to safeguarding the Western Hemisphere by codifying and expanding CBSI’s mission to address today’s evolving threats. In addition to countering transnational criminal organizations and corruption, the bill confronts malign influence from authoritarian regimes and strengthens regional resilience to natural disasters, advancing a foreign policy rooted in security, freedom, and shared prosperity.

Throughout her time in Congress, Representative Salazar has been a strong advocate for the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, recognizing it as a vital tool for strengthening U.S.–Caribbean partnerships and confronting the evolving security challenges facing the region.

You can watch Representative Salazar's full remarks here.

Background:

The Caribbean region remains highly vulnerable to the destabilizing effects of drug trafficking, human smuggling, and transnational criminal networks. Established in 2010, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative has played a critical role in helping partner nations strengthen their capacity to combat organized crime, improve citizen safety, and reinforce the rule of law.

H.R. 4368 provides long-term authorization for CBSI, promoting civilian safety and regional stability by enhancing law enforcement and maritime capabilities, strengthening strategic cooperation, and bolstering local justice systems, while ensuring the United States remains the leading security partner in the Western Hemisphere.

You can read the full bill here.