IIB 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3776 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JANUARY 18, 2018 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
AN ACT 
To support United States international cyber diplomacy, 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 ‘‘Cyber Diplomacy Act 
of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The stated goal of the United States Inter-
national Strategy for Cyberspace, launched on May 
16, 2011, is to ‘‘work internationally to promote an 
open, interoperable, secure, and reliable information 
and communications infrastructure that supports 
international trade and commerce, strengthens inter-
national security, and fosters free expression and in-
novation * * * in which norms of responsible behav-
ior guide States’ actions, sustain partnerships, and 
support the rule of law in cyberspace.’’. 
(2) The Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) 
on Developments in the Field of Information and 
Telecommunications in the Context of International 
Security, established by the United Nations General 
Assembly, concluded in its June 24, 2013, report 
‘‘that State sovereignty and the international norms 
and principles that flow from it apply to States’ con-
duct of [information and communications technology 
or ICT] related activities and to their jurisdiction 
over ICT infrastructure with their territory.’’. 
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(3) On January 13, 2015, China, Kazakhstan, 
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan pro-
posed a troubling international code of conduct for 
information security which defines responsible State 
behavior in cyberspace to include ‘‘curbing the dis-
semination of information’’ and the ‘‘right to inde-
pendent control of information and communications 
technology’’ when a country’s political security is 
threatened. 
(4) The July 22, 2015, GGE consensus report 
found that, ‘‘norms of responsible State behavior can 
reduce risks to international peace, security and sta-
bility.’’. 
(5) On September 25, 2015, the United States 
and China announced a commitment ‘‘that neither 
country’s government will conduct or knowingly sup-
port cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, in-
cluding trade secrets or other confidential business 
information, with the intent of providing competitive 
advantages to companies or commercial sectors.’’. 
(6) At the Antalya Summit from November 15– 
16, 2015, the Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Commu-
nique affirmed the applicability of international law 
to State behavior in cyberspace, called on States to 
refrain from cyber-enabled theft of intellectual prop-
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erty for commercial gain, and endorsed the view that 
all States should abide by norms of responsible be-
havior. 
(7) The March 2016 Department of State 
International Cyberspace Policy Strategy noted that, 
‘‘the Department of State anticipates a continued in-
crease and expansion of our cyber-focused diplomatic 
efforts for the foreseeable future.’’. 
(8) On December 1, 2016, the Commission on 
Enhancing National Cybersecurity established within 
the Department of Commerce recommended ‘‘the 
President should appoint an Ambassador for Cyber-
security to lead U.S. engagement with the inter-
national community on cybersecurity strategies, 
standards, and practices.’’. 
(9) The 2017 Group of 7 (G7) Declaration on 
Responsible States Behavior in Cyberspace recog-
nized on April 11, 2017, ‘‘the urgent necessity of in-
creased international cooperation to promote secu-
rity and stability in cyberspace * * * consisting of 
the applicability of existing international law to 
State behavior in cyberspace, the promotion of vol-
untary, non-binding norms of responsible State be-
havior during peacetime’’ and reaffirmed ‘‘that the 
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same rights that people have offline must also be 
protected online.’’. 
(10) In testimony before the Select Committee 
on Intelligence of the Senate on May 11, 2017, the 
Director of National Intelligence identified six cyber 
threat actors, including Russia for ‘‘efforts to influ-
ence the 2016 US election’’; China, for ‘‘actively tar-
geting the US Government, its allies, and US com-
panies for cyber espionage’’; Iran for ‘‘leverage[ing] 
cyber espionage, propaganda, and attacks to support 
its security priorities, influence events and foreign 
perceptions, and counter threats’’; North Korea for 
‘‘previously conduct[ing] cyber-attacks against US 
commercial entities—specifically, Sony Pictures En-
tertainment in 2014’’; terrorists, who ‘‘use the Inter-
net to organize, recruit, spread propaganda, raise 
funds, collect intelligence, inspire action by followers, 
and coordinate operations’’; and criminals who ‘‘are 
also developing and using sophisticated cyber tools 
for a variety of purposes including theft, extortion, 
and facilitation of other criminal activities’’. 
(11) On May 11, 2017, President Trump issued 
Presidential 
Executive 
Order 
No. 
13800 
on 
Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Net-
works and Infrastructure which designated the Sec-
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States described in section 3 of the Cyber Di-
plomacy Act of 2017. 
‘‘(B) DUTIES DESCRIBED.—The principal 
duties of the head of the Office shall be to— 
‘‘(i) serve as the principal cyber-policy 
official within the senior management of 
the Department of State and advisor to 
the Secretary of State for cyber issues; 
‘‘(ii) lead the Department of State’s 
diplomatic cyberspace efforts generally, in-
cluding relating to international cybersecu-
rity, internet access, internet freedom, dig-
ital economy, cybercrime, deterrence and 
international responses to cyber threats; 
‘‘(iii) promote an open, interoperable, 
reliable, unfettered, and secure information 
and communications technology infrastruc-
ture globally; 
‘‘(iv) represent the Secretary of State 
in interagency efforts to develop and ad-
vance the United States international 
cyberspace policy; 
‘‘(v) coordinate within the Depart-
ment of State and with other components 
of the United States Government cyber-
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