69–010 

Calendar No. 958 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 110–459 

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY RESOURCE CENTERS ACT OF 2007 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2008.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. BIDEN, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 2553] 

The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under consideration the bill H.R. 2553, to amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to provide for the establishment and maintenance of existing libraries and resource centers at United States 

diplomatic and consular missions to provide information about 

American culture, society, and history, and for other purposes, reports favorably thereon with amendments and recommends that 

the bill do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

I. Purpose ........................................................................................................... 1 

II. Committee Action .......................................................................................... 1 

III. Discussion ....................................................................................................... 1 

IV. Cost Estimate ................................................................................................. 2 

V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact .................................................................. 3 

VI. Changes in Existing Law .............................................................................. 3 

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this legislation is to promote increased support 

for a public diplomacy tool, namely libraries and resource centers 

abroad that are maintained and operated by the Department of 

State. 

II. COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 2553 was introduced on May 24, 2007. The House of Representatives approved the bill on October 9, 2007 by a voice vote. 

On June 24, 2008, the Committee on Foreign Relations ordered the 

bill favorably reported by voice vote, after approving several 

amendments to the bill. 

III. DISCUSSION

U.S. public diplomacy is carried out by a range of programs. One 

important program involves libraries and resource centers, which 


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are a means to allow foreign nationals access to information that 

permit them to better understand American culture and values. 

The 2003 report of the Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy in the 

Arab and Muslim World, chaired by retired diplomat Edward 

Djerejian, noted that these facilities can ‘‘bring a personal presence 

to American diplomacy that has waned in recent years’’ as well as 

‘‘provide an outpost for public diplomacy in areas that have not 

been previously targeted or are underrepresented,’’ at a relatively 

minimal cost. 

Because security concerns and budget cuts following the end of 

the Cold War have decreased access to American facilities overseas 

at a time when the global image of the United States is suffering, 

several reports that have reviewed public diplomacy programs have 

echoed or expanded upon the findings of the Djerejian panel in urging additional support for libraries. Accordingly, the purpose of 

H.R. 2553 is to make clear in statute that one of the duties of the 

Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy is to provide for the 

establishment of new and maintenance of existing libraries and resource centers at or in connection with U.S. diplomatic mission. 

The bill further instructs the Secretary of State to ensure that such 

facilities are open to the general public the greatest extent practicable, consistent with security requirements. 

IV. COST ESTIMATE

In accordance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the committee provides this estimate of the 

costs of this legislation prepared by the Congressional Budget Office. 

UNITED STATES CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, July 2, 2008. 

Hon. JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., 

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2553, the Public Diplomacy Resources Centers Act of 2008. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sunita D’Monte. 

Sincerely, 

PETER R. ORSZAG. 


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CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

July 2, 2008. 

H.R. 2553 

Public Diplomacy Resources Centers Act of 2008 

AS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN

RELATIONS ON JUNE 24, 2008

H.R. 2553 would authorize the Department of State to establish 

and maintain libraries and resource centers at or connected with 

U.S. diplomatic missions. It would require the Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy to report to the Congress on the functions 

and effectiveness of the libraries and resource centers. The department also would be required to show American films to promote 

American culture, society, history, and values. The act would authorize the appropriation of such sums as may be necessary for 

those purposes. 

The department has authority under current law to open and 

maintain libraries and resource centers overseas. The United 

States currently operates 378 American Corners and 182 Information Resource Centers worldwide. Both provide information about 

the United States to overseas audiences, but American Corners are 

generally established outside diplomatic missions and in partnership with host country institutions. Based on information from the 

department, CBO estimates that the costs of screening American 

films and the new reporting requirement would total less than 

$500,000 a year, assuming the availability of appropriated funds. 

Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues. 

H.R. 2553 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

On January 9, 2008, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 

2553 as passed by the House of Representatives on October 9, 

2007. The two versions of the legislation are similar, but H.R. 2553 

as passed by the House of Representatives would allow libraries 

and resource centers to accept and spend donations. CBO estimated the authority to accept and spend donations would have no 

significant effect on direct spending or revenues. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Sunita D’Monte. This 

estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing Rules of 

the Senate, the committee has determined that there is no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation. 

VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with rule XXVI, paragraph 12 of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill, as 

reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted 


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is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman). 

State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 

ORGANIZATION OF DEPARTMENT OF STATE

SECTION 1. (a) SECRETARY OF STATE.—

* * * * * * * 

(b) UNDER SECRETARIES.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—* * * 

* * * * * * * 

(3) UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY.— There shall 

be in the Department of State, among the Under Secretaries 

authorized by paragraph (1), an Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, who shall have primary responsibility to assist the 

Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in the formation and implementation of United States public diplomacy policies and activities, including international educational and cultural exchange programs, information, and international broadcasting. 

The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy shall—

(A) prepare an annual strategic plan for public diplomacy in collaboration with overseas posts and in consultation with the regional and functional bureaus of the Department; 

(B) ensure the design and implementation of appropriate 

program evaluation methodologies; 

(C) provide guidance to Department personnel in the 

United States and overseas who conduct or implement 

public diplomacy policies, programs, and activities; 

(D) assist the United States Agency for International 

Development and the Broadcasting Board of Governors to 

present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively; øand¿ 

(E) submit statements of United States policy and editorial material to the Broadcasting Board of Governors for 

broadcast considerationø.¿ ; and 

(F) provide for the establishment of new and the maintenance of existing libraries and resource centers at or in connection with United States diplomatic and consular missions. 

Æ 


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