S 1579119th CongressIntroduced

PARTNER with ASEAN, CERN, and PIF Act

Introduced: May 1, 2025

Defense & National Security

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill, the PARTNER with ASEAN, CERN, and PIF Act, would authorize extending the International Organizations Immunities Act (IOIA) to three additional international bodies: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Under IOIA, certain international organizations receive U.S. immunities and privileges (such as immunity from certain lawsuits, exemptions from taxes, and related protections) to support their operations. The bill would empower the President to determine the terms and conditions for extending these immunities to ASEAN, CERN, and PIF under the same framework used for other eligible international organizations. It effectively provides formal recognition and legal protections for these groups to operate with the same basic immunities as other IOs with U.S. participation or funding. The bill’s short title options emphasize its aim: to provide appropriate recognition and treatment to strengthen U.S. relations with ASEAN, CERN, and PIF. It does not authorize funding or create new programs; instead, it expands the scope of IOIA to include these three organizations, giving the executive branch flexibility to set specific terms.

Key Points

1Adds ASEAN, CERN, and PIF to the list of international organizations eligible for IOIA protections by amending the IOIA (22 U.S.C. 288 et seq.).
2Authorizes the President to determine the terms and conditions under which IOIA protections are extended to each organization, in the same manner as other U.S.-participating public international organizations.
3Establishes new sections (Sec. 18 for ASEAN, Sec. 19 for CERN, Sec. 20 for PIF) specifying the extension of IOIA provisions under the President’s determined terms.
4Frames the bill as a standalone expansion of immunities and privileges, not as new funding or programs, and maintains that extensions follow existing treaties or Acts authorizing U.S. participation or funding.
5Provides an alternative short title: “Providing Appropriate Recognition and Treatment Needed to Enhance Relations with ASEAN, CERN, and PIF Act” or “PARTNER with ASEAN, CERN, and PIF Act.”

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- ASEAN, CERN, and PIF as organizations, along with their personnel and activities within the United States, which would receive IOIA-immunities and privileges (e.g., certain immunities from suit and tax exemptions for activities conducted in line with their official functions).Secondary group/area affected:- U.S. government agencies and departments that engage with these organizations, since they would operate under established IOIA frameworks when dealing with these bodies.- Legal and financial practitioners handling matters involving these international organizations in the United States.Additional impacts:- Potential shifts in how disputes involving these organizations are handled in U.S. courts (due to immunities and procedures under IOIA).- Clarification of the status and protections for property, personnel, and official acts of ASEAN, CERN, and PIF denominated within the U.S. jurisdiction.- No direct funding authorization is included; the bill simply extends immunities, relying on existing IOIA mechanisms and future executive determinations for specifics.

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