H. R. 5009—764 
applicable appropriation and shall be available for the purposes 
for which such appropriation is authorized. 
SEC. 7214. STREAMLINE QUALIFICATION OF CONSTRUCTION CON-
TRACT BIDDERS. 
Section 402 of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and 
Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (22 U.S.C. 4852) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘be awarded’’ after ‘‘joint venture per-
sons may’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘bid on’’ both places it appears; and 
(C) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘$10,000,000’’ and 
inserting ‘‘$25,000,000’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph 1, by striking ‘‘two’’ and inserting 
‘‘three’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘at a United 
States diplomatic or consular establishment abroad’’ 
and inserting ‘‘on a Federal contract abroad’’; 
(ii) by striking subparagraphs (E) and (G); 
(iii) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subpara-
graph (E); and 
(iv) in subparagraph (E), as redesignated by clause 
(iii), by striking ‘‘80’’both places it appears and 
inserting ‘‘65’’. 
SEC. 7215. CONTINUATION OF REST AND RECUPERATION AND OVER-
SEAS OPERATIONS LEAVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 9 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 
(22 U.S.C. 4081 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
903 (22 U.S.C. 4083) the following new sections: 
‘‘SEC. 903a. REST AND RECUPERATION LEAVE. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘agency’ means an Executive agency (as that 
term is defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code), 
but does not include the Government Accountability Office; 
‘‘(2) the term ‘combat zone’ means a geographic area des-
ignated by an Executive order of the President as an area 
in which the Armed Forces are engaging or have engaged 
in combat, an area designated by law to be treated as a combat 
zone, or a location the Department of Defense has certified 
for combat zone tax benefits due to its direct support of military 
operations; 
‘‘(3) the term ‘employee’ means an officer or an individual 
who is— 
‘‘(A) appointed in the civil service, the Foreign Service, 
or any appointment authority other than the uniformed 
services (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 
37, United States Code), by one of the following acting 
in an official capacity: 
‘‘(i) The President. 
‘‘(ii) A Member or Members of Congress, or Con-
gress. 
‘‘(iii) An individual who is an employee under this 
section.
H. R. 5009—765 
‘‘(iv) The head of a Government-controlled corpora-
tion; 
‘‘(B) engaged in the performance of a Federal function 
under authority of law or an Executive act; and 
‘‘(C) subject to the supervision of an individual 
described in subparagraph (A) while engaged in the 
performance of the duties of his or her position; 
‘‘(4) the term ‘high risk, high threat post’ has the meaning 
given that term in section 104 of the Omnibus Diplomatic 
Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (22 U.S.C. 4803); and 
‘‘(5) the term ‘leave year’ means the period beginning on 
the first day of the first complete pay period in a calendar 
year and ending on the day immediately before the first day 
of the first complete pay period in the following calendar year. 
‘‘(b) LEAVE FOR REST AND RECUPERATION.—The Secretary or 
other head of an agency may prescribe regulations to grant up 
to 20 days of paid leave, per leave year, for the purposes of rest 
and recuperation to an employee of the agency serving in a combat 
zone, any other high risk, high threat post, or any other location 
presenting significant security or operational challenges. 
‘‘(c) DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OR OTHER 
AGENCY HEAD.—Use of the authority under subsection (b) is at 
the sole and exclusive discretion of the head of the agency con-
cerned. 
‘‘(d) RECORDS.—An agency shall record leave provided under 
this section separately from leave authorized under any other provi-
sion of law. 
‘‘SEC. 903b. OVERSEAS OPERATIONS LEAVE. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘agency’ means an Executive agency (as that 
term is defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code), 
but does not include the Government Accountability Office. 
‘‘(2) the term ‘employee’ means an officer or an individual 
who is— 
‘‘(A) appointed in the civil service, the Foreign Service, 
or any appointment authority other than the uniformed 
services (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 
37, United States Code), by one of the following acting 
in an official capacity: 
‘‘(i) The President. 
‘‘(ii) A Member or Members of Congress, or Con-
gress. 
‘‘(iii) An individual who is an employee under this 
section. 
‘‘(iv) The head of a Government-controlled corpora-
tion; 
‘‘(B) engaged in the performance of a Federal function 
under authority of law or an Executive act; and 
‘‘(C) subject to the supervision of an individual 
described in subparagraph (A) while engaged in the 
performance of the duties of his or her position; and 
‘‘(3) the term ‘leave year’ means the period beginning with 
the first day of the first complete pay period in a calendar 
year and ending with the day immediately before the first 
day of the first complete pay period in the following calendar 
year.
H. R. 5009—766 
‘‘(b) LEAVE FOR OVERSEAS OPERATIONS.—The Secretary or other 
head of an agency may prescribe regulations to grant up to 10 
days of paid leave, per leave year, to an employee of the agency 
serving abroad for the purpose of local holidays. 
‘‘(c) DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OR OTHER 
AGENCY HEAD.—Use of the authority under subsection (b) is at 
the sole and exclusive discretion of the head of the agency con-
cerned.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in section 
2 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (Public Law 96–465; 94 Stat. 
2071) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
903 the following new items: 
‘‘Sec. 903a. Rest and recuperation leave. 
‘‘Sec. 903b. Overseas operations leave.’’. 
SEC. 7216. OVERSEAS CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND STRATEGY. 
(a) SENIOR
FOCAL
POINT
ON
CRISIS
MANAGEMENT
AND 
RESPONSE.— 
(1) DESIGNATION.—The Secretary shall designate a senior 
official with significant experience in crisis management and 
response to support the Department’s response to and manage-
ment of international crises as defined in subsection (e). 
(2) DUTIES.—The Senior Focal Point for Crisis Management 
and Response shall facilitate the Department’s coordinated 
response to crisis management and response, in a manner 
consistent with roles and responsibilities of other senior Depart-
ment and USAID personnel assigned to address and implement 
crisis management and response activities, and will carry out 
relevant activities to include the following: 
(A) Coordinate the Department’s response to and 
management of international crises. 
(B) Coordinate with regional and other relevant 
Department bureaus and USAID on such crises and other 
matters relevant to crisis management and response. 
(C) Facilitate information necessary for the execution 
of after-action reviews after international crises. 
(D) Maintain close liaison with the appropriate 
congressional committees regarding the Department’s 
response to and management of international crises. 
(E) Undertake other duties, as determined by the Sec-
retary in consultation with the Administrator, relevant to 
crisis management and response. 
(3) REPORTING.—The Senior Focal Point for Crisis Manage-
ment and Response shall report directly to the Secretary in 
the execution of the duties described under paragraph (2). 
(b) TABLETOP EXERCISES AND SIMULATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than 
annually thereafter for 3 years, the Secretary shall direct the 
relevant offices of the Department to ensure a tabletop exercise 
or simulation on international crises is conducted by the 
Department. The tabletop exercise or simulation should be 
conducted in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. 
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that such exercises or simulations address the Department’s 
crisis response and evacuation requirements, and should 
include—
H. R. 5009—767 
(A) the necessary and appropriate information to out-
line the crisis management roles and responsibilities of 
the Department’s senior leadership; 
(B) established Department crisis management struc-
tures for international crises; 
(C) required processes, personnel, and resources for 
operational drawdown and evacuation operations in inter-
national crises; and 
(D) all procedures relevant to the identification of, 
coordination with, and the provision of assistance to— 
(i) private United States citizens; 
(ii) United States Government employees and their 
dependents; 
(iii) United States allies and partners; 
(iv) local nationals who have assisted United 
States Government efforts; and 
(v) third-country nationals. 
(3) LEADERSHIP; 
PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that— 
(A) the Department’s Senior Focal Point on Crisis 
Management and Response, the Operation Center’s Crisis 
Management and Strategy team, the Foreign Service 
Institute’s Leadership and Management School’s Crisis 
Management Training division, or other Department oper-
ating units, as determined to be appropriate by the Sec-
retary, lead such exercises or simulations; and 
(B) such exercises or simulations include the participa-
tion of the Department’s relevant senior leadership and 
staff, including leadership and staff from regional and rel-
evant functional bureaus. 
(4) CONSULTATION.—Such exercises or simulations may be 
conducted in consultation with— 
(A) the Department of Defense; 
(B) other Federal agencies; and 
(C) State and local government entities. 
(5) PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary may, as consistent with 
the national security interests of the United States, invite 
to participate in such exercises or simulations— 
(A) foreign allies and partners; and 
(B) civil society and nongovernmental organizations, 
including those that have directly engaged in crisis 
response efforts in the past. 
(6) BRIEFING.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subparagraph 
(C), not later than 90 days after the completion of any 
tabletop exercise or simulation required under paragraph 
(1), the Department shall brief the appropriate congres-
sional committees, the Committee on Armed Services of 
the Senate, and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
House of Representatives on the organization of the table-
top exercise or simulation. The briefing, or particular ele-
ments therein, may be provided in a classified format. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The briefing required under subpara-
graph (A) should— 
(i) provide a description of the tabletop exercise 
or simulation;
H. R. 5009—768 
(ii) identify, as appropriate, key participants in 
the tabletop exercise or simulation; 
(iii) include any deficiencies identified in prior 
tabletop exercise and plans to mitigate such defi-
ciencies; 
(iv) provide a summary of the supporting capabili-
ties, including infrastructure, prepositioned equipment 
and supplies, personnel and other supporting logistics 
capabilities, required to respond to the simulated inter-
national crisis; and 
(v) include such other information as determined 
necessary or appropriate by the Secretary. 
(C) NOTIFICATION IN LIEU OF BRIEFING.—Beginning on 
the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall, not later than 90 days 
after the completion of any tabletop exercise or simulation 
required under paragraph (1), submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a notice of such exercise or sim-
ulation which shall be in lieu of a briefing reviewing the 
tabletop exercise or simulation required under subpara-
graph (A). 
(c) FOREIGN SERVICE INSTITUTE TRAINING.—The Secretary shall 
ensure existing crisis management curricula and courses offerings 
are reviewed for accuracy and tailored to relevant audiences. In 
addition, the Foreign Service Institute should ensure that the 
ambassadorial seminar and Deputy Chief of Mission course include 
curriculum on crisis management, including one or more of the 
following: 
(1) The use of regular internal town halls and targeted 
messages from the Ambassador or Deputy Chief of Mission 
to support mission objectives during crisis periods. 
(2) Established best practices for internal communications 
specific to high-threat posts. 
(3) Diplomatic post-led drawdown and evacuation oper-
ations, military assisted departures, and noncombatant evacu-
ation operations. 
(4) Best practices for leading post efforts to communicate 
with and assist United States citizens. 
(5) How to conduct or participate in the Department’s 
domestic-led tabletop exercises and simulations, including those 
authorized in subsection (b). 
(6) Communicating with and assessing the needs of locally 
employed staff during emergencies. 
(d) DEPARTMENT
OF STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE LESSONS 
LEARNED CLEARINGHOUSE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish 
and maintain a clearinghouse of lessons learned and after- 
action reports relating to international crises, including evacu-
ation operations of United States Government employees and 
their eligible family members or evacuation of private United 
States citizens or third-country nationals, to be known as the 
‘‘Department of State Emergency Response Lessons Learned 
Clearinghouse’’ (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Clearing-
house’’). 
(2) REPOSITORY.—The Clearinghouse should be designed 
to provide—
H. R. 5009—769 
(A) a central electronic repository of lessons learned 
and after-action reports to be made accessible to Depart-
ment personnel to be used to improve crisis response and 
contingency planning; 
(B) resources to inform and develop crisis response 
and contingency planning, including for the ambassadorial 
seminar and Deputy Chief of Mission course as provided 
in subsection (c); and 
(C) publicly available documents and information, as 
appropriate, for civil society, nongovernmental organiza-
tions, academic institutions, and other stakeholders to 
assist with the Department’s development of best practices. 
(e) INTERNATIONAL CRISIS DEFINED.—In this section , the term 
‘‘international crisis’’ means any situation overseas which requires 
the Department to change the operating status of United States 
diplomatic facilities, including a diplomatic post-led or military- 
assisted departure, ordered departure, or a noncombatant evacu-
ation operation. 
TITLE LXXIII—INFORMATION SECURITY 
AND CYBER DIPLOMACY 
SEC. 7301. REALIGNING THE REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 9508(a)(1) of the Department of State Authorizations 
Act of 2022 (division I of Public Law 117–263; 22 U.S.C. 10305(a)(1)) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘, and shall be administered by the Bureau 
for Cyberspace and Digital Policy’’ before the period at the end. 
SEC. 7302. MEASURES TO PROTECT DEPARTMENT DEVICES FROM THE 
PROLIFERATION AND USE OF FOREIGN COMMERCIAL 
SPYWARE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CONGRESS.—The term 
‘‘appropriate committees of Congress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Select 
Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee 
on Armed Services of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Home-
land Security, and the Committee on Armed Services of 
the House of Representatives. 
(2) COVERED DEVICE.—The term ‘‘covered device’’ means 
any electronic mobile device, including smartphones, tablet com-
puting devices, or laptop computing device, that is issued by 
the Department for official use. 
(3) FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SPYWARE; SPYWARE.—The terms 
‘‘foreign commercial spyware’’ and ‘‘spyware’’ have the meanings 
given those terms in section 1102A of the National Security 
Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3232a). 
(b) PROTECTION OF COVERED DEVICES.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 120 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, in consultation 
with the relevant agencies—
H. R. 5009—770 
(A) issue standards, guidance, best practices, and poli-
cies for Department and USAID personnel to protect cov-
ered devices from being compromised by foreign commercial 
spyware; 
(B) survey the processes used by the Department and 
USAID to identify and catalog instances where a covered 
device was compromised by foreign commercial spyware 
over the prior 2 years and it is reasonably expected to 
have resulted in an unauthorized disclosure of sensitive 
information; and 
(C) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
a report on the measures in place to identify and catalog 
instances of such compromises for covered devices by for-
eign commercial spyware, which may be submitted in 
classified form. 
(2) NOTIFICATIONS.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
on which the Department becomes aware that a covered device 
was seriously compromised by foreign commercial spyware, the 
Secretary, in coordination with relevant agencies, shall notify 
the appropriate committees of Congress of the facts concerning 
such targeting or compromise, including— 
(A) the location of the personnel whose covered device 
was compromised; 
(B) the number of covered devices compromised; 
(C) an assessment by the Secretary of the damage 
to the national security of the United States resulting 
from any loss of data or sensitive information; and 
(D) an assessment by the Secretary of any foreign 
government or foreign organization or entity, and, to the 
extent possible, the foreign individuals, who directed and 
benefitted from any information acquired from the com-
promise. 
(3) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter 
for 5 years, the Secretary, in coordination with relevant agen-
cies, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, 
the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, and the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives a 
report regarding any covered device that was compromised 
by foreign commercial spyware, including the information 
described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (2). 
SEC. 7303. REPORT ON CLOUD COMPUTING IN BUREAU OF CONSULAR 
AFFAIRS. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report on the status of the Bureau of Consular Affairs 
adoption of cloud-based products and services as well as options 
to require enterprise-wide adoption of cloud computing, including 
for all consular operations. 
SEC. 7304. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PILOT PROJECTS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Chief Information Officer of the Department should 
consider, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau 
of Consular Affairs, piloting not fewer than 3 information technology 
systems and prioritizing information technology systems with high
H. R. 5009—771 
potential to accelerate the passport renewal processes, reduce proc-
essing times, and reduce dependency on legacy systems. 
SEC. 7305. LEVERAGING APPROVED TECHNOLOGY FOR ADMINISTRA-
TIVE EFFICIENCIES. 
The Secretary and Administrator shall ensure appropriate and 
secure technological solutions are authorized and available for 
employee use, where feasible, to promote technological fluency in 
the workforce, including the integration of secure tools in the 
evaluation process to ensure performance management standards 
while maximizing efficiency. 
TITLE LXXIV—PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 
SEC. 7401. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA. 
Section 306 of the United States International Broadcasting 
Act of 1994 (22 U.S.C. 6205) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsection 
(g) and (h), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(f) SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT OF GRANTEES.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), a 
grantee may not be debarred or suspended without consultation 
with the Chief Executive Officer and a three-fourths majority 
vote of the Advisory Board in support of such action. 
‘‘(2) SUSPENSION.— 
‘‘(A) CRITERIA FOR SUSPENSION.—A grantee may not 
be suspended unless the Advisory Board determines that 
the criteria described in section 513.405 of title 22, Code 
of Federal Regulations, have been met. 
‘‘(B) SUSPENDING OFFICIAL.—The Advisory Board shall 
collectively serve as the suspending official (as described 
in section 513.105 of title 22, Code of Federal Regulations). 
‘‘(3) DEBARMENT.— 
‘‘(A) CRITERIA FOR DEBARMENT.—A grantee may not 
be debarred unless the Advisory Board determines that 
one or more of the causes described in section 513.305 
of title 22, Code of Federal Regulations, has been estab-
lished. 
‘‘(B) DEBARRING OFFICIAL.—The Advisory Board shall 
collectively serve as the debarring official (as described 
in section 513.105 of title 22, Code of Federal Regula-
tions).’’. 
SEC. 7402. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATIONS TO SUPPORT UNITED 
STATES PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL FAIRS AND 
EXPOS. 
Section 9601 of the Department of State Authorizations Act 
of 2022 (division I of Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 3909) is 
amended in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2023 and 2024’’ 
and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027’’. 
SEC. 7403. RESEARCH AND SCHOLAR EXCHANGE PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that—
H. R. 5009—772 
(1) it is in the strategic interest of the United States 
to strengthen relations with Sub-Saharan African states to 
promote shared interests in the areas of— 
(A) democracy and good governance; 
(B) education and human capital; 
(C) trade and economic development; 
(D) science and technology; 
(E) biodiversity, food, and agriculture; and 
(F) the preservation and management of natural 
resources, including critical minerals; and 
(2) historically Black colleges and universities (referred 
to in this section as ‘‘HBCUs’’) have a long history of— 
(A) cultivating diaspora relations with Sub-Saharan 
African states; and 
(B) developing innovative solutions to some of the 
world’s most pressing challenges. 
(b) STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary and the 
Administrator should seek to strengthen and expand partnerships 
and educational exchange opportunities, including by working with 
HBCUs, which build the capacity and expertise of students, 
scholars, and experts from Sub-Saharan Africa in key development 
sectors. 
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Administrator is authorized 
to— 
(1) provide technical assistance to HBCUs to assist in ful-
filling the goals of this section, including in developing con-
tracts, operating agreements, legal documents, and related 
infrastructure; and 
(2) upon request, provide feedback to HBCUs, to the max-
imum extent practicable, after a grant rejection from relevant 
Federal programs in order to improve future grant applications, 
as appropriate. 
TITLE LXXV—DIPLOMATIC SECURITY 
AND CONSULAR AFFAIRS 
SEC. 7501. HUMAN TRAFFICKING AUTHORITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to investigate 
transnational violations of chapter 77 of title 18, United States 
Code, in which part of the offense conduct occurred outside the 
United States or involved one or more foreign nationals. 
(b) AUTHORITIES.—Section 37(a)(1) of the State Department 
Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2709(a)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘; or’’ and inserting 
a semicolon; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph 
(D); and 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) transnational violations of chapter 77 of title 18, 
United States Code, in which any part of the offense con-
duct occurred outside the United States or involved one 
or more foreign nationals; or’’. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 years, the