IIB 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5535 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JULY 26, 2018 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
AN ACT 
To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
1956 regarding energy diplomacy and security within 
the Department of State, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Energy Diplomacy Act 
of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. ENERGY DIPLOMACY AND SECURITY WITHIN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 1 of the 
State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 
U.S.C. 2651a) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (4); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) ENERGY RESOURCES.— 
‘‘(A) AUTHORIZATION FOR ASSISTANT SEC-
RETARY.—Subject to the numerical limitation 
specified in paragraph (1), there is authorized 
to be established in the Department of State an 
Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Re-
sources. 
‘‘(B) 
PERSONNEL.—The 
Secretary 
of 
State shall ensure that there are sufficient per-
sonnel dedicated to energy matters within the 
Department of State who shall be responsible 
for— 
‘‘(i) formulating and implementing 
international policies, in coordination with 
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Secretary of Energy, as appropriate, aimed 
at protecting and advancing United States 
energy security interests by effectively 
managing United States bilateral and mul-
tilateral relations in the fields of petro-
leum, natural gas, biofuels, renewable en-
ergy, nuclear, and other energy resources; 
‘‘(ii) ensuring that analyses of the na-
tional security implications of global en-
ergy and environmental developments are 
reflected in the decision making process 
within the Department of State; 
‘‘(iii) incorporating energy security 
priorities into the activities of the Depart-
ment of State; 
‘‘(iv) coordinating energy activities 
within the Department of State and with 
relevant Federal agencies; 
‘‘(v) working internationally to— 
‘‘(I) support the development of 
energy resources and the distribution 
of such resources for the benefit of 
the United States and United States 
allies and trading partners for their 
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energy security and economic develop-
ment needs; 
‘‘(II) promote availability of di-
versified energy supplies and a well- 
functioning global market for energy 
resources, technologies, and expertise 
for the benefit of the United States 
and United States allies and trading 
partners; 
‘‘(III) resolve international dis-
putes regarding the exploration, devel-
opment, production, or distribution of 
energy resources; 
‘‘(IV) support the economic and 
commercial interests of United States 
persons operating in the energy mar-
kets of foreign countries; and 
‘‘(V) 
support 
and 
coordinate 
international efforts to alleviate en-
ergy poverty; 
‘‘(vi) leading the United States com-
mitment to the Extractive Industries 
Transparency Initiative; 
‘‘(vii) coordinating within the Depart-
ment of State and with relevant Federal 
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departments and agencies on developing 
and implementing international energy-re-
lated sanctions; and 
‘‘(viii) coordinating energy security 
and other relevant functions within the De-
partment of State currently undertaken 
by— 
‘‘(I) the Bureau of Economic and 
Business Affairs of the Department of 
State; 
‘‘(II) the Bureau of Oceans and 
International Environmental and Sci-
entific Affairs of the Department of 
State; and 
‘‘(III) other offices within the 
Department of State.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 931 of the 
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
U.S.C. 17371) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsections (a) and (b); and 
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(2) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as 
subsections (a) and (b), respectively. 
Passed the House of Representatives July 25, 2018. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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