with government officials and business leaders. Previous destinations include Mexico, North Korea, Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Guatemala, China, and France, among many others. The Pacific Council also organizes task forces to address international policy issues and make policy recommendations. Its U.S.-Mexico Border Security Task Force, led by former DEA Administrator and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert C. Bonner, recommended that the U.S. Congress and the Obama administration renew a ban on assault weapons, and the task force released a "report card" assessing progress made on previous recommendations. The Council's Climate Change Adaptation Task Force recommended that the state of California create a Climate Risk Council and reported the potential effects of climate change on the California coast. One task force is a part of the Guantánamo Bay Observer Program. Since 2013, the Pacific Council has held official NGO observer status at GTMO, allowing Pacific Council member experts to observe proceedings at GTMO and report back to the Council. Recommendations made by the Council's GTMO Task Force were included in the FY2018 Defense Bill by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA). Reports The Pacific Council has released numerous reports surrounding issues in foreign affairs and public diplomacy. Some of the Council's previous reports include: A Path Forward: Advancing U.S. – China Relations Through Public Diplomacy Global Los Angeles Up To Speed: To Fairly and Transparently Expedite the Guantanamo Trials, Put Federal Judges in Charge References Foreign policy and strategy think tanks in the United States 501(c)(3) organizations Non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles