I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3571 
To establish an Office of Subnational Diplomacy within the Department 
of State, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 27, 2019 
Mr. TED LIEU of California (for himself and Mr. WILSON of South Carolina) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To establish an Office of Subnational Diplomacy 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, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘City and State Diplo-
macy Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The supremacy clause of the United States 
Constitution (article VI, clause 2) establishes that 
the Federal Government has the primary role in con-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
ducting diplomacy on behalf of the United States; in 
turn, the Department of State, which was created 
pursuant to statute by Congress in 1789, has the 
lead role in formulating and implementing United 
States foreign policy. 
(2) The growth of subnational cooperation has 
enabled States and municipalities to play an increas-
ingly significant role in foreign policy and com-
plement the efforts of the Department of State by— 
(A) supporting exchanges and cooperation 
agreements between elected leaders and officials 
of State and municipal governments and those 
of international cities, regions, and countries; 
(B) promoting United States exports to 
foreign markets and foreign direct investment 
into the United States; and 
(C) sharing best practices and striking 
agreements with foreign counterparts on a wide 
range of topics, including facilitating trade and 
investment, protecting the health and safety of 
their respective citizens, cooperating on energy 
and the environment, and promoting people-to- 
people exchanges. 
(3) Global networks made up exclusively of local 
government officials are at the forefront of har-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
nessing the power of cities to advance international 
cooperation, including C40 Cities Climate Leader-
ship Group, ICLEI, United Cities and Local Govern-
ments, Global Parliament of Mayors, Urban20, 
Strong Cities Network, and Global Compact of May-
ors. 
(4) In 2010, the Department of State appointed 
the first-ever special representative for Global Inter-
governmental Affairs, who led efforts to build stra-
tegic peer-to-peer relationships between the Depart-
ment of State, State and local officials, and their 
foreign counterparts. 
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that it is in the interest 
of the United States to promote subnational engagements, 
align such engagements with national foreign policy objec-
tives, and leverage Federal resources to enhance the im-
pact of such engagements. 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE OF SUBNATIONAL 
DIPLOMACY. 
Section 1 of the State Department Basic Authorities 
Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(h) OFFICE OF SUBNATIONAL DIPLOMACY.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There shall be established 
within the Department of State an Office of Sub-
national Diplomacy (in this subsection referred to as 
the ‘Office’). 
‘‘(2) HEAD OF OFFICE.—The head of the Office 
shall be the Ambassador-at-Large for Subnational 
Diplomacy (in this subsection referred to as the 
‘Ambassador’). The Ambassador shall— 
‘‘(A) be appointed by the President, by and 
with the advice and consent of the Senate; and 
‘‘(B) report directly to the Under Sec-
retary for Political Affairs. 
‘‘(3) DUTIES.— 
‘‘(A) PRINCIPAL
DUTY.—The principal 
duty of the Ambassador shall be the overall su-
pervision (including policy oversight of re-
sources) of Federal support for subnational en-
gagements by State and municipal governments 
with foreign governments. The Ambassador 
shall be the principal adviser to the Secretary 
of State on subnational engagements and the 
principal official on such matters within the 
senior management of the Department of State. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL
DUTIES.—The addi-
tional duties of the Ambassador shall include 
the following: 
‘‘(i) 
Coordinating 
overall 
United 
States policy and programs in support of 
subnational engagements by State and mu-
nicipal governments with foreign govern-
ments, including with respect to the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(I) 
Coordinating 
resources 
across the Department of State and 
throughout the Federal Government 
in support of such engagements. 
‘‘(II) Identifying policy, program, 
and funding disputes among relevant 
Federal agencies regarding such co-
ordination. 
‘‘(III) Identifying gaps in Fed-
eral support for such engagements 
and developing corresponding policy 
or programmatic changes to address 
such gaps. 
‘‘(ii) Promoting United States foreign 
policy goals through support for sub-
national engagements and aligning sub-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
national priorities with national foreign 
policy goals, as appropriate. 
‘‘(iii) Maintaining a public database of 
subnational engagements. 
‘‘(iv) Providing advisory support to 
subnational engagements, including by as-
sisting State and municipal governments 
to— 
‘‘(I) develop, implement, and, as 
necessary, adjust global engagement 
and public diplomacy strategies; and 
‘‘(II) implement programs to co-
operate with foreign governments on 
policy priorities or managing shared 
resources. 
‘‘(v) Facilitating linkages and net-
works between State and municipal govern-
ments and their foreign counterparts. 
‘‘(vi) Overseeing the work of Depart-
ment of State detailees assigned to State 
and municipal governments pursuant to 
this subsection. 
‘‘(vii) Negotiating agreements and 
memoranda of understanding with foreign 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
governments to support subnational en-
gagements and priorities. 
‘‘(viii) Promoting United States trade 
and foreign exports on behalf of United 
States businesses through exchanges be-
tween the United States and foreign state, 
municipal, and provincial governments, and 
by establishing a more enduring relation-
ship overall between subnational govern-
ments. 
‘‘(ix) Coordinating subnational en-
gagements with the associations of sub-
national elected leaders, including the U.S. 
Conference of Mayors, National Governors 
Association, National League of Cities, Na-
tional Association of Counties, Council of 
State Governments, National Conference of 
State Legislators, and State International 
Development Offices. 
‘‘(4) DETAILEES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of 
State, acting through the Ambassador, is au-
thorized to detail Foreign Service officers to 
State and municipal governments on a reim-
bursable or nonreimbursable basis. Such details 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
shall be for a period not to exceed two years, 
and shall be without interruption or loss of For-
eign Service status or privilege. 
‘‘(B) RESPONSIBILITIES.—Detailees under 
subparagraph (A) shall carry out the following: 
‘‘(i) Supporting the mission and objec-
tives of the Office. 
‘‘(ii) Coordinating activities relating to 
State and municipal government sub-
national engagements with the Department 
of State, including the Office, Department 
leadership, and regional and functional bu-
reaus of the Department, as appropriate. 
‘‘(iii) Engaging the Department of 
State and other Federal agencies regarding 
security, public health, trade promotion, 
and other programs executed at the State 
or municipal government level. 
‘‘(iv) Advising State and municipal 
government officials regarding questions of 
global affairs, foreign policy, cooperative 
agreements, and public diplomacy. 
‘‘(v) Any other duties requested by 
State and municipal governments and ap-
proved by the Office. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(5) REPORT AND BRIEFING.— 
‘‘(A) REPORT.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this sub-
section, the Ambassador shall submit to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate a report that includes 
information relating to the following: 
‘‘(i) The staffing plan (including per-
manent and temporary staff) for the Of-
fice. 
‘‘(ii) The funding level provided to the 
Office for the Office, together with a jus-
tification relating to such level. 
‘‘(iii) The status of filling the position 
of Ambassador-at-Large for Subnational 
Diplomacy. 
‘‘(iv) A strategic plan for the Office. 
‘‘(v) Any other matters as determined 
relevant by the Ambassador. 
‘‘(B) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 30 days 
after the submission of the report required 
under subparagraph (A) and annually there-
after, the Ambassador shall brief the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representa-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
tives and the Committee on Foreign Relations 
of the Senate on the work of the Office and any 
changes made to the organizational structure or 
funding of the Office. 
‘‘(6) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) MUNICIPAL.—The term ‘municipal’ 
means, with respect to the government of a mu-
nicipality, a municipality with a population of 
not fewer than 100,000 people. 
‘‘(B) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means the 
50 States, the District of Columbia, and any 
territory or possession of the United States. 
‘‘(C) SUBNATIONAL
ENGAGEMENT.—The 
term ‘subnational engagement’ means formal 
meetings or events between elected officials of 
State or municipal governments and their for-
eign counterparts.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:03 Jul 10, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3571.IH
H3571
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS