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[Senate Report 110-459]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                       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 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.

                                ------                                

               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 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; 
                [and]
                  (E) submit statements of United States policy 
                and editorial material to the Broadcasting 
                Board of Governors for broadcast 
                consideration[.] ; 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.

                                  
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