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106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1066

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

MARCH 10, 1999

Mr. THORNBERRY 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. ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE DEPARTMENT RE4 VIEW PANEL.

5 (a) FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.—The Congress makes

6 the following findings:

7 (1) The Department of State, established in

8 1789, is responsible for representing the worldwide
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1 interests of the United States and its citizens and

2 for advancing the policies of the United States Gov3 ernment.

4 (2) The Department operates 249 posts in more

5 than 180 countries throughout the world, has ap6 proximately 18,869 full-time staff, and spends a

7 budget of approximately $6,200,000,000.

8 (3) There have been dramatic changes in the

9 world in which the Department must function, in10 cluding changes in technology, changes in religious,

11 ethnic, and regional conflicts, and changes in eco12 nomic, political, and military relationships. Yet,

13 there has been little change in the organization and

14 structure of the Department or its posts throughout

15 the world.

16 (4) The Department and all United States dip17 lomatic efforts should be the subject of a comprehen18 sive review by an independent panel to assess how

19 the Department can best fulfill its mission in the

20 21st century and meet the challenges of a rapidly

21 changing world.

22 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than December 1,

23 1999, the Congress shall establish a nonpartisan inde24 pendent panel to be known as the Department of State
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1 Review Panel (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Panel’’).

2 The Panel shall have the duties set forth in this section.

3 (c) MEMBERSHIP.—

4 (1) The Panel shall be composed of 10 mem5 bers who are individuals in the private sector who

6 are recognized experts in matters relating to foreign

7 affairs and the national security of the United

8 States.

9 (2) Members of the Panel shall be appointed as

10 follows:

11 (A) 3 members appointed by the Speaker

12 of the House of Representatives.

13 (B) 3 members appointed by the Majority

14 Leader of the Senate.

15 (C) 2 members appointed by the Minority

16 Leader of the House of Representatives.

17 (D) 2 members appointed by the Minority

18 Leader of the Senate.

19 (3) The Panel shall have a chairman who shall

20 be selected by the members of the panel from among

21 the members.

22 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 12 months after the ap23 pointment of the last member to the Panel, the Panel shall

24 prepare and submit to the Congress a comprehensive re25 port. The report shall include the following:
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1 (1) A review of current structures of the De2 partment of State and related agencies, including

3 the organization and operation of the embassies and

4 consulates of the United States abroad, to determine

5 how best to efficiently and effectively—

6 (A) represent the interests of the United

7 States throughout the world;

8 (B) advance the policies of the United

9 States;

10 (C) cooperate and integrate with other gov11 ernment agencies and departments, including

12 the Department of Defense, the Department of

13 Commerce, and the Office of the United States

14 Trade Representative, the Agency for Inter15 national Development (AID), and the intel16 ligence agencies of the United States; and

17 (D) meet the anticipated roles and mis18 sions of such entities in the future.

19 (2) Recommendations on any structural reorga20 nization at the Department of State and United

21 States embassies and consulates, including, but not

22 limited to, the following:

23 (A) Whether any geographical desks

24 should be added, combined, or eliminated, in25 cluding an examination of whether an ‘‘Amer-
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1 ican Affairs’’ desk should be established within

2 the Office of the Under Secretary for Political

3 Affairs.

4 (B) Whether any of the Under or Assistant

5 Secretaries of State should be combined, elimi6 nated, or created, including an examination of

7 whether an Under Secretary for ‘‘Future Af8 fairs’’ needs to be established to analyze and

9 assess future challenges for the Department.

10 (C) Whether a member of the Armed

11 Forces should be stationed at each embassy and

12 whether a member of any other department

13 should be stationed at all or specific embassies

14 worldwide.

15 (D) Whether Members of the Foreign

16 Service serving in other Federal agencies should

17 be merged into the Department of State.

18 (3) Suggestions for changes in organization and

19 process to ensure that future United States diplo20 matic efforts are successful.

21 (4) Suggestions for changes in structures to

22 better formulate and implement the foreign policy of

23 the United States.
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1 (5) An independent assessment of the chal2 lenges the Department of State may face through

3 the year 2020 and beyond.

4 (6) A comprehensive review of how the Depart5 ment of State, the embassies and consulates of the

6 United States, and diplomatic and other personnel

7 and delegations are organized to handle efficiently

8 future risks, including any recommended structural

9 or internal changes that may be necessary to meet

10 future challenges to the national interest of the

11 United States.

12 (7) The planning assumptions used in the Pan13 el’s review, including, but not limited to, assump14 tions relating to cooperation, communication with al15 lies, levels of risk, real-time situational awareness,

16 and instantaneous communication.

17 (8) An examination of the Department of

18 State’s forward presence and pre-positioning nec19 essary for negotiation and conflict deterrence in re20 sponse to anticipated threats and conflicts.

21 (9) An examination of the current information

22 infrastructure and technologies at the Department

23 of State and recommendations on how these tech24 nologies need to be updated, changed, or replaced
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1 for optimum utilization by the year 2005 and be2 yond.

3 (10) The vulnerability of United States tech4 nology to nontraditional threats, such as information

5 warfare, and the effect of this vulnerability on De6 partment of State operations and missions.

7 (11) Future scenarios requiring a Department

8 of State response, including scenarios in response to

9 nontraditional threats.

10 (e) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The

11 Panel may secure directly from the Department of State

12 and from any other Federal department and agency such

13 information as the Panel considers necessary to carry out

14 its duties under this section. The head of the department

15 or agency concerned shall ensure that information re16 quested by the Panel under this subsection is promptly

17 provided.

18 (f) PERSONNEL MATTERS.—

19 (1) Each member of the Panel shall be com20 pensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of

21 the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV

22 of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title

23 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel

24 time) during which such member is engaged in the

25 performance of the duties of the Panel.
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1 (2) The members of the Panel shall be allowed

2 travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsist3 ence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies

4 under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United

5 States Code, while away from their homes or regular

6 places of business in the performance of services for

7 the Panel.

8 (3)(A) The chairman of the Panel may, without

9 regard to the civil service laws and regulations, ap10 point and terminate an executive director, and a

11 staff of not more than 4 additional individuals, if the

12 Panel determines that an executive director and

13 staff are necessary in order for the Panel to perform

14 its duties effectively. The employment of an execu15 tive director shall be subject to confirmation by the

16 Panel.

17 (B) The chairman 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 (4) Any Federal Government employee may be

2 detailed to the Panel without reimbursement, and

3 such detail shall be without interruption or loss of

4 civil service status or privilege. The Secretary shall

5 ensure that sufficient personnel are detailed to the

6 Panel to enable the Panel to carry out its duties ef7 fectively.

8 (5) To the maximum extent practicable, the

9 members and employees of the Panel shall travel on

10 government aircraft, ships, vehicles, or other convey11 ances when travel is necessary in the performance of

12 a duty of the Panel, except that no such aircraft,

13 ship, vehicle, or other conveyance may be scheduled

14 primarily for the transportation of any such member

15 or employee when the cost of commercial transpor16 tation is less expensive.

17 (g) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.—

18 (1) The Panel may use the United States mails

19 and obtain printing and binding services in the same

20 manner and under the same conditions as other de21 partments and agencies of the Federal Government.

22 (2) The Secretary of State shall furnish the

23 Panel any administrative and support services re24 quested by the Panel.
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1 (3) The Panel may accept, use, and dispose of

2 gifts or donations of services or property.

3 (h) PAYMENT OF PANEL EXPENSES.—The com4 pensation, travel expenses, and per diem allowances of

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

6 funds available to the Department of State for the pay7 ment of compensation, travel allowances, and per diem al8 lowances, respectively, of civilian employees of the Depart9 ment. The other expenses of the Panel shall be paid out

10 of funds available to the Department for the payment of

11 similar expenses incurred by the Department.

12 (i) SUNSET PROVISION.—The Panel shall terminate

13 6 months after the submission of a final report to the Con14 gress under subsection (d).

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