This bipartisan educational certificate program aims to equip congressional staffers with the information and analyses necessary to appreciate the significance of the Pacific Islands and the US role in the region. By focusing on crucial forward-looking issues, CSPP is designed to provide staffers with a more comprehensive understanding of the region and its significance to US Indo-Pacific policy. This program follows the launch of The Pacific Islands Matter for America/America Matters for the Pacific Islands, sponsored by the US Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs and with support from the Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus.

Key Program Elements:

• A certificate program consisting of a series of 60-minute interactive discussions—either online or in-person on the Hill, depending on circumstances—held twice a week across April and May 2022. Certificates of Completion are awarded to participants who attend at least half of the planned sessions.
• Each session features a single theme/topic, and includes speakers from government agencies, think tanks, universities, and other policy institutions.
• Session topics include: The United States as a Pacific nation; Compacts of Free Association (COFA) and COFA negotiation updates; strategic competition and security in the Pacific; development; connectivity and commerce; climate change, environment, and energy; allies and partners; as well as multilateral regional cooperation

Eligibility Information for Applicants:

• Applicants must be current congressional staff, employed by either a member of congress or congressional committee, and can come from either chamber or a congressional commission. Previous Indo-Pacific experience is preferred.