Bill aims to arrest China, Russia influence in Latin America

MIAMI (AP) — Two leading voices in Congress on Latin America have introduced legislation to spur closer U.S. security cooperation in the region and turn back what they see as the growing, malign influence of China and Russia. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, the ranking member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Menendez introduced what they dubbed the “Western Hemisphere Security Strategy Act” on Monday. If approved, the bill would require the Secretaries of State and Defense to jointly submit within 180 days a strategy to enhance diplomatic engagement and security assistance in the Western Hemisphere on issues ranging from drug trafficking to transnational crime.