I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1311 
To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to provide 
for energy security and diplomacy, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 24, 2021 
Mr. PFLUGER (for himself and Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
1956 to provide for energy security and 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, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Energy Diplomacy 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ENERGY SECURITY AND DIPLOMACY OF THE DE-
PARTMENT OF STATE. 
Section 1(c) of the State Department Basic Authori-
ties Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a) is amended— 
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(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.—If the Department of 
State establishes an Assistant Secretary of 
State for Energy Resources in accordance with 
the authorization provided in subparagraph (A), 
the Secretary of State shall ensure there are 
sufficient personnel dedicated to energy matters 
within the Department whose responsibilities 
shall include— 
‘‘(i) formulating and implementing 
international policies aimed at protecting 
and advancing United States energy secu-
rity interests by effectively managing 
United States bilateral and multilateral re-
lations; 
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‘‘(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; 
‘‘(iii) incorporating energy security 
priorities into the activities of the Depart-
ment; 
‘‘(iv) coordinating energy activities of 
the Department with relevant Federal de-
partments and agencies; 
‘‘(v) coordinating with the Office of 
Sanctions Coordination on economic sanc-
tions pertaining to the international energy 
sector; and 
‘‘(vi) 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 
energy security and economic develop-
ment needs; 
‘‘(II) promote availability of di-
versified energy supplies and a well 
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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; 
‘‘(V) 
support 
and 
coordinate 
international efforts to alleviate en-
ergy poverty; 
‘‘(VI) leading the United States 
commitment to the Extractive Indus-
tries Transparency Initiative; and 
‘‘(VII) coordinating energy secu-
rity and other relevant functions with-
in the Department currently under-
taken by— 
‘‘(aa) the Bureau of Eco-
nomic and Business Affairs; 
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‘‘(bb) the Bureau of Oceans 
and International Environmental 
and Scientific Affairs; and 
‘‘(cc) other offices within the 
Department of State.’’. 
Æ 
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