I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3515

To establish an independent nonpartisan review panel to assess how the 

Department of State can best fulfill its mission in the 21st century 

and meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2003

Mr. THORNBERRY (for himself and Mr. SNYDER) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 

A BILL

To establish an independent nonpartisan review panel to 

assess how the Department of State can best fulfill its 

mission in the 21st century and meet the challenges 

of a rapidly changing world.

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 as the ‘‘Department of State 

5 Review Act’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF STATE RE2 VIEW PANEL. 

3 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following 

4 findings: 

5 (1) The Department of State, established in 

6 1789, is responsible for representing the worldwide 

7 interests of the United States and its citizens and 

8 for advancing the policies of the United States. 

9 (2) The Department operates 257 posts in more 

10 than 180 countries throughout the world, has ap11 proximately 21,500 full-time personnel, and has a 

12 budget of approximately $8,000,000,000. 

13 (3) There have been dramatic changes in the 

14 world in which the Department must function, in15 cluding changes in technology, changes in religious, 

16 ethnic, and regional conflicts, and changes in eco17 nomic, political, and military relationships. More18 over, the world has witnessed the spread of weapons 

19 of mass destruction and the spread of terrorism. 

20 Yet, there has been little change in the organization 

21 and structure of the Department or its posts 

22 throughout the world. 

23 (4) The Department and all United States dip24 lomatic efforts should be the subject of a comprehen25 sive review by an independent panel to assess how 

26 the Department can best fulfill its mission in the 
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1 21st century and meet the challenges of a rapidly 

2 changing world. 

3 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than September 1, 

4 2004, there shall be established a nonpartisan independent 

5 panel to be known as the Department of State Review 

6 Panel (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Panel’’). The 

7 Panel shall have the duties set forth in this section. 

8 (c) MEMBERSHIP.—

9 (1) COMPOSITION ANDQUALIFICATIONS.—The 

10 Panel shall be composed of ten members who are in11 dividuals in the private sector who are recognized ex12 perts in matters relating to foreign affairs and the 

13 national security of the United States. 

14 (2) APPOINTMENT.—Members of the Panel 

15 shall be appointed as follows: 

16 (A) Three members appointed by the 

17 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

18 (B) Three members appointed by the Ma19 jority Leader of the Senate. 

20 (C) Two members appointed by the Minor21 ity Leader of the House of Representatives. 

22 (D) Two members appointed by the Minor23 ity Leader of the Senate. 
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1 (3) CHAIRPERSON.—The Panel shall have a 

2 chairperson who shall be selected by the members of 

3 the panel from among the members. 

4 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 12 months after the ap5 pointment of the last member to the Panel, the Panel shall 

6 prepare and submit to the Congress a comprehensive re7 port. The report shall include the following: 

8 (1) A review of current structures of the De9 partment of State and related agencies, including 

10 the organization and operation of the embassies and 

11 consulates of the United States abroad, to determine 

12 how best to efficiently and effectively—

13 (A) represent the interests of the United 

14 States throughout the world; 

15 (B) advance the policies of the United 

16 States; 

17 (C) cooperate and integrate with other gov18 ernment agencies and departments, including 

19 the Department of Defense, the Department of 

20 Homeland Security, the Department of the 

21 Treasury, the Department of Commerce, the 

22 Office of the United States Trade Representa23 tive, the Agency for International Development, 

24 the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the intel25 ligence agencies of the United States; and 
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1 (D) meet the anticipated roles and mis2 sions of such entities in the future. 

3 (2) Recommendations on any structural reorga4 nization at the Department of State and United 

5 States embassies and consulates, including the fol6 lowing: 

7 (A) Whether any geographical desks 

8 should be added, combined, or eliminated, in9 cluding an examination of whether an ‘‘Amer10 ican Affairs’’ desk should be established within 

11 the Office of the Under Secretary for Political 

12 Affairs. 

13 (B) Whether any of the positions of Under 

14 or Assistant Secretary of State should be com15 bined or eliminated, or any additional positions 

16 of Under or Assistant Secretary of State should 

17 be created, including an examination of whether 

18 a senior level position should be established to 

19 analyze and assess future challenges for the De20 partment, and if needed, whether the position 

21 should be an Under or Assistant Secretary of 

22 State. 

23 (C) Whether a military attache ́ should be 

24 stationed at each embassy and whether a mem-
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1 ber of any other Federal agency should be sta2 tioned at all or specific embassies worldwide. 

3 (3) Suggestions for changes in organization and 

4 process to ensure that the efforts of the United 

5 States to communicate effectively with other govern6 ments and engage in public diplomacy are success7 ful. 

8 (4) Suggestions for changes in structures to 

9 better formulate and implement the foreign policy of 

10 the United States. 

11 (5) An independent assessment of the chal12 lenges the Department of State may face through 

13 the year 2020 and beyond. 

14 (6) A comprehensive review of how the Depart15 ment of State, the embassies and consulates of the 

16 United States, and diplomatic and other personnel 

17 and delegations are organized to handle efficiently 

18 future risks, including any recommended structural 

19 or internal changes that may be necessary to meet 

20 future challenges to the national interest of the 

21 United States. 

22 (7) The planning assumptions used in the re23 view conducted by the Panel, including assumptions 

24 relating to cooperation, communication with allies, 
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1 levels of risk, real-time situational awareness, and 

2 instantaneous communication. 

3 (8) An examination of the forward presence and 

4 pre-positioning necessary by the Department of 

5 State for negotiation and conflict deterrence in re6 sponse to anticipated threats and conflicts. 

7 (9) An examination of the current information 

8 infrastructure and technologies at the Department 

9 of State and recommendations on how these tech10 nologies should be updated, changed, or replaced for 

11 optimum utilization by the year 2008 and beyond. 

12 (10) An examination of ways the Department of 

13 State develops scenarios that may require a Depart14 ment response, and recommendations for improving 

15 this process to incorporate nontraditional threat 

16 planning scenarios and input from other Federal 

17 agencies and nongovernmental organizations. 

18 (11) Recommendations regarding future per19 sonnel policies of the Department of State, including 

20 the following: 

21 (A) Whether an anticipated need exists for 

22 additional personnel who possess certain lan23 guage skills, functional skills, and educational 

24 background. 
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1 (B) Whether the Department of State 

2 should examine nontraditional recruitment and 

3 training efforts, including policies related to lat4 eral transfers of personnel from other govern5 ment agencies or the private sector, to meet De6 partment of State needs. 

7 (e) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The 

8 Panel may secure directly from the Department of State 

9 and from any other Federal agency such information as 

10 the Panel considers necessary to carry out its duties under 

11 this section. The head of the agency concerned shall en12 sure that information requested by the Panel under this 

13 subsection is promptly provided. 

14 (f) PERSONNEL MATTERS.—

15 (1) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.—Each mem16 ber of the Panel shall be compensated at a rate 

17 equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 

18 basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive 

19 Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 

20 States Code, for each day (including travel time) 

21 during which such member is engaged in the per22 formance of the duties of the Panel. 

23 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of the 

24 Panel shall be allowed travel expenses, including per 

25 diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for 
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1 employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 

2 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from 

3 their homes or regular places of business in the per4 formance of services for the Panel. 

5 (3) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—With6 out regard to the civil service laws and regulations, 

7 the chairperson of the Panel may appoint and termi8 nate an executive director and a staff of not more 

9 than four additional individuals, none of whom may 

10 be current employees of the Department of State or 

11 members of the Foreign Service, if the Panel deter12 mines that an executive director and staff are nec13 essary in order for the Panel to perform its duties 

14 effectively. The employment of an executive director 

15 shall be subject to confirmation by the Panel. 

16 (4) COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVE DIREC17 TOR.—The chairperson may fix the compensation of 

18 the executive director without regard to the provi19 sions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 

20 of title 5, United States Code, relating to classifica21 tion of positions and General Schedule pay rates, ex22 cept that the rate of pay for the executive director 

23 may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the 

24 Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title. 
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1 (5) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—

2 Any Federal Government employee may be detailed 

3 to the Panel without reimbursement, and such detail 

4 shall be without interruption or loss of civil or for5 eign service status or privilege. The Secretary shall 

6 ensure that sufficient personnel are detailed to the 

7 Panel to enable the Panel to carry out its duties ef8 fectively. 

9 (6) TRAVEL CONDITIONS.—To the maximum 

10 extent practicable, the members and employees of 

11 the Panel shall travel on government aircraft, ships, 

12 vehicles, or other conveyances when travel is nec13 essary in the performance of a duty of the Panel, ex14 cept that no such aircraft, ship, vehicle, or other 

15 conveyance may be scheduled primarily for the 

16 transportation of any such member or employee 

17 when the cost of commercial transportation is less 

18 expensive. 

19 (g) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.—

20 (1) USE OF MAIL.—The Panel may use the 

21 United States mails and obtain printing and binding 

22 services in the same manner and under the same 

23 conditions as other departments and agencies of the 

24 Federal Government. 
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1 (2) ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERV2 ICES.—The Secretary of State shall furnish the 

3 Panel any administrative and support services re4 quested by the Panel. 

5 (3) GIFTS ANDDONATIONS.—The Panel may 

6 accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of serv7 ices or property. 

8 (4) CONTRACTUAL AUTHORITY.—The Panel 

9 may enter into such contracts as necessary for tech10 nical support and analysis, provided that the dura11 tion of such contracts does not exceed 120 days and 

12 that the total amount spent on all such contracts 

13 does not exceed $500,000. 

14 (h) PAYMENT OF PANEL EXPENSES.—The com15 pensation, travel expenses, and per diem allowances of 

16 members and employees of the Panel shall be paid out of 

17 funds available to the Department of State for the pay18 ment of compensation, travel allowances, and per diem al19 lowances, respectively, of civilian employees of the Depart20 ment. The other expenses of the Panel shall be paid out 

21 of funds available to the Department for the payment of 

22 similar expenses incurred by the Department. 
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1 (i) SUNSET PROVISION.—The Panel shall terminate 

2 six months after the submission of a final report to the 

3 Congress under subsection (d).

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