II 

Calendar No. 958 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2553 

[Report No. 110–459] 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 15, 2007 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2008 

Reported by Mr. BIDEN, with amendments 

[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic] 

AN ACT 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited at as the ‘‘Public Diplomacy 

5 Resource Centers Act of 20072008’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. UNITED STATES PUBLIC DIPLOMACY. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF LI3 BRARIES.—Section 1(b)(3) of the State Department Basic 

4 Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a(b)(3)) is 

5 amended— 

6 (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

7 the end; 

8 (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period 

9 at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

10 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub11 paragraph: 

12 ‘‘(F) provide for the establishment of new 

13 and the maintenance of existing libraries and 

14 resource centers at or in connection with United 

15 States diplomatic and consular missions.’’. 

16 (b) OPERATION OF LIBRARIES.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall 

18 ensure that libraries and resource centers estab19 lished and maintained in accordance with subpara20 graph (F) of section 1(b)(3) of the State Depart21 ment Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (as added by 

22 section 2(a)(3) of this Act) are open to the general 

23 public to the greatest extent practicable, subject to 

24 policies and procedures established by the Secretary 

25 to ensure the safety and security of United States 

26 diplomatic and consular missions and of United 


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•HR 2553 RS

1 States officers, employees, and personnel posted at 

2 such missions at which such libraries are located. 

3 (2) JOHNNY GRANT FILM SERIESSHOWINGS OF

4 AMERICAN FILMS.—TheTo the extent practicable, the 

5 Secretary of State shall ensure that such libraries 

6 and resource centers schedule public showings of 

7 American films that showcase American culture, so8 ciety, values, and history. Such public showings shall 

9 be known as the ‘‘Johnny Grant Film Series’’. 

10 (c) RECEIPT OF DONATIONS.—The Secretary of 

11 State may accept donations that are made to the libraries 

12 and resource centers authorized under this Act if the Sec13 retary determines that such receipt will not result in any 

14 cost to the Federal Government. 

15 (d)(c) ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PUBLIC DIPLO16 MACY.—TheNot later than one year after the date of the 

17 enactment of this Act, the Advisory Commission on Public 

18 Diplomacy (authorized under section 1334 of the Foreign 

19 Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 

20 6553)) shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

21 of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

22 Foreign Relations of the Senate a report containing andan 

23 evaluation of the functions and effectiveness of the librar24 ies and resource centers that are authorized under this 

25 Act. 


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•HR 2553 RS

1 (e)(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In ad2 dition to amounts that are otherwise authorized to be ap3 propriated to the Department of State to carry out pur4 poses similar to those required under this Act, there are 

5 authorized to the Secretary of State such sums as may 

6 be necessary to carry out this Act. 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS

hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
Calendar No. 958 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2553 

[Report No. 110–459] 

AN ACT 

To amend the State Department Basic Authorities 

poses. culture, society, and history, and for other purmissions to provide information about American centers at United States diplomatic and consular maintenance of existing libraries and resource Act of 1956 to provide for the establishment and 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2008 

Reported with amendments 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS