I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 490 

To require a quadrennial review of the diplomatic strategy and structure 

of the Department of State and its related agencies to determine how 

the Department can best fulfill its mission in the 21st century and 

meet the challenges of a changing world. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 13, 2009 

Mr. THORNBERRY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To require a quadrennial review of the diplomatic strategy 

and structure of the Department of State and its related 

agencies to determine how the Department can best fulfill its mission in the 21st century and meet the challenges of a 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 ‘‘Quadrennial Foreign 

5 Affairs Review Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. QUADRENNIAL FOREIGN AFFAIRS REVIEW. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The Department of State, established in 

2 1789, is responsible for representing the worldwide 

3 interests of the United States and for advancing the 

4 policies of the United States. 

5 (2) The Department operates over 250 posts in 

6 more than 180 countries throughout the world and 

7 has approximately 30,000 personnel. 

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. More13 over, the world has witnessed the spread of weapons 

14 of mass destruction and the spread of terrorism. 

15 Yet, there has been little change in the diplomatic 

16 strategy and structure of the Department or of its 

17 posts throughout the world. 

18 (4) The Department and all United States dip19 lomatic efforts should be the subject of a quadren20 nial review to determine how the Department can 

21 best fulfill its mission and meet the challenges of a 

22 changing world. 

23 (b) QUADRENNIAL REVIEW.—Not later than Sep24 tember 30 of 2012 and every four years thereafter, the 

25 Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on ForVerDate Nov 24 2008 01:51 Jan 15, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H490.IH H490

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1 eign Affairs of the House of Representatives and to the 

2 Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a com3 prehensive examination of the diplomatic strategy and 

4 structure, foreign assistance programs, budget plans, per5 sonnel decisions, and public diplomacy plans of the De6 partment of State and its related agencies to determine 

7 the foreign affairs strategy of the United States to best 

8 meet the challenges of a changing world, together with the 

9 response report required under subsection (c)(2). Such 

10 comprehensive examination shall be referred to as a 

11 ‘‘quadrennial review’’. 

12 (c) INVOLVEMENT OF NATIONAL FOREIGN AFFAIRS

13 PANEL.— 

14 (1) SUBMISSION OF REVIEW TO PANEL.—Not 

15 later than July 30 of the year in which a quadren16 nial review is conducted, the Secretary of State shall 

17 submit to a National Foreign Affairs Panel (in this 

18 Act referred to as the ‘‘Panel’’), established in ac19 cordance with section 3, a copy of such quadrennial 

20 review. 

21 (2) RESPONSE REPORT.—Not later than Au22 gust 30 of the year in which a quadrennial review 

23 is submitted to a Panel under paragraph (1), such 

24 Panel shall submit to the Secretary a report reVerDate Nov 24 2008 01:51 Jan 15, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H490.IH H490

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1 sponding to the findings, conclusions, and rec2 ommendations of such quadrennial review. 

3 (d) CONTENTS OF QUADRENNIAL REVIEW.—The 

4 quadrennial review shall include the following information: 

5 (1) A review of the current structures of the 

6 Department of State and its related agencies, includ7 ing the organization, staffing, and operation of 

8 United States embassies and consulates abroad, to 

9 determine how best to efficiently and effectively rep10 resent the interests of the United States throughout 

11 the world and advance the policies of the United 

12 States. 

13 (2) A review of the level of cooperation and de14 gree of integration of the Department of State with 

15 other Federal departments and agencies, including 

16 the Department of Defense, the Department of 

17 Homeland Security, the Department of the Treas18 ury, the Department of Commerce, the Office of the 

19 United States Trade Representative, the Agency for 

20 International Development, the Drug Enforcement 

21 Agency, and the elements of the intelligence commu22 nity. 

23 (3) Recommendations related to how best to 

24 meet the anticipated roles and missions of such de25 partments and agencies in the future. 


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1 (4) A review of the efforts of the Department 

2 of State with respect to public diplomacy and any 

3 recommendations for changes or modifications in 

4 public diplomacy initiatives or programs in order to 

5 improve performance. 

6 (5) An examination of the assumptions used in 

7 the quadrennial review by the Secretary, including 

8 assumptions relating to cooperation between the De9 partment and other Federal departments and agen10 cies, communication with allies, levels of risk, real11 time situational awareness, and immediate commu12 nication within the Department. 

13 (6) An examination of the forward presence and 

14 pre-positioning necessary for the Department to en15 gage in negotiation and conflict deterrence in re16 sponse to anticipated threats and conflicts. 

17 (7) An examination of the process of how the 

18 Department develops scenarios that may require a 

19 Department response, and recommendations for im20 proving this process to incorporate nontraditional 

21 threat planning scenarios and input from other Fed22 eral departments and agencies and nongovernmental 

23 organizations. 


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1 SEC. 3. NATIONAL FOREIGN AFFAIRS PANEL. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than December 1 of 

3 the year immediately preceding the year in which a quad4 rennial review is conducted, the Secretary of State shall 

5 establish a nonpartisan, independent panel to be known 

6 as a National Foreign Affairs Panel. 

7 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—A Panel shall be composed 

9 of a chairperson and eight other individuals ap10 pointed by the Secretary, in consultation with the 

11 chairman and ranking member of the Committee on 

12 Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and 

13 the chairman and ranking member of the Committee 

14 on Foreign Relations of the Senate, from among in15 dividuals in the private sector who are recognized ex16 perts in matters relating to the foreign affairs and 

17 diplomacy interests of the United States. 

18 (2) QUORUM.—Five members of a Panel shall 

19 constitute a quorum. 

20 (c) DUTIES.—A Panel shall submit to the Secretary 

21 the response report required under section 2(c)(2). 

22 (d) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—A 

23 Panel may secure from the Department of State and its 

24 related agencies and from any other Federal department 

25 or agency such information as such Panel considers nec26 essary to carry out its duties under this Act. The head 


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1 of the department or agency concerned shall ensure that 

2 information requested by such Panel under this subsection 

3 is promptly provided to such Panel. 

4 (e) PERSONNEL MATTERS.— 

5 (1) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.—Each mem6 ber of a Panel shall be compensated at a rate equal 

7 to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic 

8 pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule 

9 under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, 

10 for each day (including travel time) during which 

11 such member is engaged in the performance of the 

12 duties of such Panel. 

13 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members of a Panel 

14 shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem 

15 in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for em16 ployees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 

17 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their 

18 homes or regular places of business in the perform19 ance of services for such Panel. 

20 (3) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—With21 out regard to the civil service laws and regulations, 

22 the chairperson of a Panel may appoint and termi23 nate an Executive Director and a staff of not more 

24 than four additional individuals, none of whom may 

25 be current employees of the Department of State or 


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1 members of the Foreign Service, if such Panel deter2 mines that an executive director and staff are nec3 essary in order for such Panel to perform its duties 

4 effectively. The employment of an Executive Direc5 tor shall be subject to confirmation by a majority of 

6 members of such Panel. 

7 (4) COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVE DIREC8 TOR.—The chairperson may fix the compensation of 

9 the Executive Director, if one is appointed pursuant 

10 to paragraph (3), without regard to the provisions of 

11 chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 

12 5, United States Code, relating to classification of 

13 positions and General Schedule pay rates, except 

14 that the rate of pay for the Executive Director may 

15 not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Execu16 tive Schedule under section 5316 of such title. 

17 (5) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—An 

18 employee of the Federal Government may be de19 tailed to a Panel without reimbursement, and such 

20 detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil or 

21 foreign service status or privilege with respect to 

22 such employee. The Secretary shall ensure that a 

23 sufficient number of employees are detailed to a 

24 Panel to enable such Panel to carry out its duties 

25 effectively. 


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1 (6) TRAVEL CONDITIONS.—To the maximum 

2 extent practicable, the members and employees of a 

3 Panel shall travel on Government aircraft, ships, ve4 hicles, or other conveyances when travel is necessary 

5 in the performance of the duties of such Panel, ex6 cept that no such aircraft, ship, vehicle, or other 

7 conveyance may be scheduled primarily for the 

8 transportation of any such member or employee 

9 when the cost of commercial transportation is less 

10 expensive. 

11 (f) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.— 

12 (1) USE OF THE MAILS.—A Panel may use the 

13 United States mails and obtain printing and binding 

14 services in the same manner and under the same 

15 conditions as other departments and agencies of the 

16 Federal Government. 

17 (2) ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERV18 ICES.—The Secretary of State shall furnish a Panel 

19 with any administrative and support services re20 quested by such Panel. 

21 (3) GIFTS AND DONATIONS.—A Panel may ac22 cept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of serv23 ices or property. 

24 (g) PAYMENT OF PANEL EXPENSES.—The com25 pensation, travel expenses, and per diem allowances of 


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1 members and employees of a Panel shall be paid out of 

2 funds made available to the Department of State for the 

3 payment of compensation, travel allowances, and per diem 

4 allowances, respectively, of civilian employees of the De5 partment. Any other expenses of a Panel shall be paid out 

6 of funds made available to the Department for the pay7 ment of similar expenses incurred by the Department. 

8 (h) SUNSET PROVISION.—A Panel shall terminate 30 

9 days after the submission of the response report required 

10 under section 2(c)(2). 

Æ 


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