120 
(C) The current number of outstanding 
previously unidentified security vulnerabilities 
and Department of State remediation plans. 
(D) The average length of time between 
the reporting of security vulnerabilities and re-
mediation of such vulnerabilities. 
(E) The resources, surge staffing, roles, 
and responsibilities within the Department used 
to implement the VDP and complete security 
vulnerability remediation. 
(F) Any other information the Secretary 
determines relevant. 
(c) BUG BOUNTY PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of State shall establish a bug bounty pilot 
program to minimize security vulnerabilities of inter-
net-facing information technology of the Department 
of State. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—In establishing the pilot 
program described in paragraph (1), the Secretary 
of State shall— 
(A) provide compensation for reports of 
previously unidentified security vulnerabilities 
within the websites, applications, and other
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internet-facing information technology of the 
Department of State that are accessible to the 
public; 
(B) award contracts to entities, as nec-
essary, to manage such pilot program and for 
executing 
the 
remediation 
of 
security 
vulnerabilities identified pursuant to subpara-
graph (A); 
(C) identify which Department of State in-
formation technology should be included in such 
pilot program; 
(D) consult with the Attorney General on 
how to ensure that individuals, organizations, 
or companies that comply with the requirements 
of such pilot program are protected from pros-
ecution under section 1030 of title 18, United 
States Code, and similar provisions of law for 
specific activities authorized under such pilot 
program; 
(E) consult with the relevant offices at the 
Department of Defense that were responsible 
for launching the 2016 ‘‘Hack the Pentagon’’ 
pilot program and subsequent Department of 
Defense bug bounty programs;
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(F) develop a process by which an ap-
proved individual, organization, or company can 
register with the entity referred to in subpara-
graph (B), submit to a background check as de-
termined by the Department of State, and re-
ceive a determination as to eligibility for par-
ticipation in such pilot program; 
(G) engage qualified interested persons, in-
cluding nongovernmental sector representatives, 
about the structure of such pilot program as 
constructive and to the extent practicable; and 
(H) consult with relevant United States 
Government officials to ensure that such pilot 
program complements persistent network and 
vulnerability scans of the Department of State’s 
internet-accessible systems, such as the scans 
conducted pursuant to Binding Operational Di-
rective BOD–19–02 or successor directive. 
(3) DURATION.—The pilot program established 
under paragraph (1) should be short-term in dura-
tion and not last longer than one year. 
(4) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the bug bounty pilot program 
under subsection (a) is completed, the Secretary of 
State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Re-
123 
lations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on 
such pilot program, including information relating 
to— 
(A) the number of approved individuals, 
organizations, or companies involved in such 
pilot program, broken down by the number of 
approved individuals, organizations, or compa-
nies that— 
(i) registered; 
(ii) were approved; 
(iii) submitted security vulnerabilities; 
and 
(iv) received compensation; 
(B) the number and severity of all security 
vulnerabilities reported as part of such pilot 
program; 
(C) the number of previously unidentified 
security vulnerabilities remediated as a result of 
such pilot program; 
(D) the current number of outstanding 
previously unidentified security vulnerabilities 
and Department remediation plans;
124 
(E) the average length of time between the 
reporting of security vulnerabilities and remedi-
ation of such vulnerabilities; 
(F) the types of compensation provided 
under such pilot program; and 
(G) the lessons learned from such pilot 
program. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Compensation offered by the 
Department subject to this section shall be funded by 
amounts appropriated pursuant to— 
(1) the authorization of appropriations under 
section 1001; and 
(2) any other Act. 
TITLE VI—PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 
SEC. 1601. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Public Diplomacy 
Modernization Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 1602. AVOIDING DUPLICATION OF PROGRAMS AND EF-
FORTS. 
The Secretary of State shall— 
(1) identify opportunities for greater efficiency 
of operations, including through improved coordina-
tion of efforts across public diplomacy bureaus and 
offices of the Department of State; and
125 
(2) maximize shared use of resources between, 
and within, such public diplomacy bureaus and of-
fices in cases in which programs, facilities, or admin-
istrative functions are duplicative or substantially 
overlapping. 
SEC. 1603. IMPROVING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION OF 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY. 
(a) RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES.—The 
Secretary of State, acting through the Director of Re-
search and Evaluation appointed pursuant to subsection 
(b), shall— 
(1) conduct regular research and evaluation of 
public diplomacy programs and activities of the De-
partment, including through the routine use of audi-
ence research, digital analytics, and impact evalua-
tions, to plan and execute such programs and activi-
ties; and 
(2) make available to Congress the findings of 
the research and evaluations conducted under para-
graph (1). 
(b) DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of State shall appoint a Director of Research 
and Evaluation (referred to in this subsection as the
126 
‘‘Director’’) in the Office of Policy, Planning, and 
Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs 
of the Department. 
(2) LIMITATION
ON
APPOINTMENT.—The ap-
pointment of the Director pursuant to paragraph (1) 
shall not result in an increase in the overall full-time 
equivalent positions within the Department of State. 
(3) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Director shall— 
(A) coordinate and oversee the research 
and evaluation of public diplomacy programs 
and activities of the Department of State in 
order to— 
(i) improve public diplomacy strate-
gies and tactics; and 
(ii) ensure that such programs and 
activities are increasing the knowledge, un-
derstanding, and trust of the United 
States by relevant target audiences; 
(B) routinely organize and oversee audi-
ence research, digital analytics, and impact 
evaluations across all public diplomacy bureaus 
and offices of the Department; 
(C) support United States diplomatic 
posts’ public affairs sections;
127 
(D) share appropriate public diplomacy re-
search and evaluation information within the 
Department and with other appropriate Federal 
departments and agencies; 
(E) regularly design and coordinate stand-
ardized research questions, methodologies, and 
procedures to ensure that public diplomacy pro-
grams and activities across all public diplomacy 
bureaus and offices are designed to meet appro-
priate foreign policy objectives; and 
(F) report biannually to the United States 
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 
through the Subcommittee on Research and 
Evaluation established pursuant to subsection 
(f), regarding the research and evaluation of all 
public diplomacy bureaus and offices. 
(4) GUIDANCE AND TRAINING.—Not later than 
one year after the appointment of the Director pur-
suant to paragraph (1), the Director shall develop 
guidance and training, including curriculum for use 
by the Foreign Service Institute, for all public diplo-
macy officers of the Department regarding the read-
ing and interpretation of public diplomacy program 
and activity evaluation findings to ensure that such 
findings and related lessons learned are implemented
128 
in the planning and evaluation of all public diplo-
macy programs and activities of the Department. 
(c) PRIORITIZING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The head of the Office of 
Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplo-
macy and Public Affairs of the Department of State 
shall ensure that research and evaluation of public 
diplomacy and activities of the Department, as co-
ordinated and overseen by the Director pursuant to 
subsection (b), supports strategic planning and re-
source allocation across all public diplomacy bureaus 
and offices of the Department. 
(2) ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.—Amounts al-
located for the purpose of research and evaluation of 
public diplomacy programs and activities of the De-
partment of State pursuant to subsection (b) shall 
be made available to be disbursed at the direction of 
the Director of Research and Evaluation among the 
research and evaluation staff across all public diplo-
macy bureaus and offices of the Department. 
(3) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the Department of State should 
gradually increase its allocation of funds made avail-
able under the headings ‘‘Educational and Cultural 
Exchange Programs’’ and ‘‘Diplomatic Programs’’
129 
for research and evaluation of public diplomacy pro-
grams and activities of the Department pursuant to 
subsection (b) to a percentage of program funds that 
is commensurate with Federal Government best 
practices. 
(d) LIMITED EXEMPTION RELATING TO THE PAPER-
WORK REDUCTION ACT.—Chapter 35 of title 44, United 
States Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Paperwork Reduc-
tion Act’’) shall not apply to the collection of information 
directed at any individuals conducted by, or on behalf of, 
the Department of State for the purpose of audience re-
search, monitoring, and evaluations, and in connection 
with the Department’s activities conducted pursuant to 
any of the following: 
(1) The Mutual Educational and Cultural Ex-
change Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.). 
(2) Section 1287 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 
114–328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note). 
(3) The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2151 et seq.). 
(e) LIMITED EXEMPTION RELATING TO THE PRI-
VACY ACT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Department of State 
shall maintain, collect, use, and disseminate records
130 
(as such term is defined in section 552a(a)(4) of 
title 5, United States Code) for audience research, 
digital analytics, and impact evaluation of commu-
nications related to public diplomacy efforts intended 
for foreign audiences. 
(2) CONDITIONS.—Audience research, digital 
analytics, and impact evaluations under paragraph 
(1) shall be— 
(A) reasonably tailored to meet the pur-
poses of this subsection; and 
(B) carried out with due regard for privacy 
and civil liberties guidance and oversight. 
(f) UNITED STATES ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PUB-
LIC DIPLOMACY.— 
(1) SUBCOMMITTEE FOR RESEARCH AND EVAL-
UATION.—The United States Advisory Commission 
on Public Diplomacy shall establish a Subcommittee 
on Research and Evaluation to monitor and advise 
regarding audience research, digital analytics, and 
impact evaluations carried out by the Department of 
State and the United States Agency for Global 
Media. 
(2) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Subcommittee on 
Research and Evaluation established pursuant to 
paragraph (1) shall submit to the appropriate con-
131 
gressional committees an annual report, in conjunc-
tion with the United States Advisory Commission on 
Public Diplomacy’s Comprehensive Annual Report 
on the performance of the Department and the 
United States Agency for Global Media, describing 
all actions taken by the Subcommittee pursuant to 
paragraph (1) and any findings made as a result of 
such actions. 
SEC. 
1604. 
PERMANENT 
REAUTHORIZATION 
OF 
THE 
UNITED STATES ADVISORY COMMISSION ON 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1334 of the Foreign Af-
fairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 
6553) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘SUN-
SET’’ and inserting ‘‘CONTINUATION’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘until October 1, 2021’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1002(b) of the Foreign Affairs Reform and Re-
structuring Act of 1998 is amended by amending the item 
relating to section 1334 to read as follows: 
‘‘Sec. 1334. Continuation of United States Advisory Commission on Public Di-
plomacy.’’. 
SEC. 1605. STREAMLINING OF SUPPORT FUNCTIONS. 
(a) WORKING GROUP ESTABLISHED.—Not later than 
60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the