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those heading towards careers in government service, 
media, law, and business.
SEC. 256. AUTHORIZING EAST TIMORESE SCHOLARSHIPS 
FOR GRADUATE STUDY. 
Section 237 of the Foreign Relations Authorization 
Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103–236) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘graduate or’’ after ‘‘at the’’. 
SEC. 257. PUBLIC SAFETY AWARENESS IN STUDY ABROAD 
PROGRAMS. 
With respect to the Department of State’s support 
for study abroad programs, Congress—
(1) encourages the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs to support public safety awareness 
activities as part of such programs; and
(2) encourages the Bureau to continue sup-
porting such activities and urges special attention to 
public safety issues, including road safety. 
Subtitle D—Consular Authorities 
SEC. 271. MACHINE READABLE VISAS. 
Section 140(a) of the Foreign Relations Authoriza-
tion Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (8 U.S.C. 1351 
note) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) For each of the fiscal years 2004 and 
2005, any amount that exceeds $700,000,000 may 
be made available only if a notification is submitted
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to Congress in accordance with the procedures appli-
cable to reprogramming notifications under section 
34 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
1956.’’.
SEC. 272. PROCESSING OF VISA APPLICATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—It shall be the policy of the De-
partment of State to process each visa application from 
an alien classified as an immediate relative or as a K–
1 nonimmigrant within 30 days of the receipt of all nec-
essary documents from the applicant and the Department 
of Homeland Security. In the case of an immigrant visa 
application where the petitioner is a relative other than 
an immediate relative, it should be the policy of the De-
partment to process such an application within 60 days 
of the receipt of all necessary documents from the appli-
cant and the Department of Homeland Security. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) IMMEDIATE RELATIVE.—The term ‘‘imme-
diate relative’’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 201(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Immigration and Na-
tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i)). 
(2) K–1 NONIMMIGRANT.—The term ‘‘K–1 non-
immigrant’’ means a nonimmigrant alien described 
in section 101(a)(15)(K)(i) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(K)(i)).
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SEC. 273. STAFFING AT DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS. 
At least once every five years and pursuant to a proc-
ess determined by the President for staffing at diplomatic 
missions and overseas constituent posts, the Secretary of 
State shall require each chief of mission to review every 
staff element under chief of mission authority, including 
staff from other executive agencies, and recommend ap-
proval or disapproval of each staff element. The Secretary 
of State shall submit an annual report concerning such 
reviews together with the Secretary’s recommendations to 
the heads of all affected agencies and the Inspector Gen-
eral of the Department of State. 
SEC. 274. ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES FOR EMBASSIES 
AND CONSULATES. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Con-
gress that the Secretary of State should provide such re-
sources, personnel, and training at each United States 
Embassy and consulate as are adequate to carry out the 
duties and responsibilities of such posts and to meet the 
needs of those seeking services at such posts. In par-
ticular, given Public Notice 4393 (Federal Register, July 
7, 2003) which restricts the number of waivers that can 
be granted for interviews of nonimmigrant visas, the Sec-
retary of State should provide sufficient resources, par-
ticularly in countries that are allies of the United States, 
to ensure that staff can process visa applications, includ-
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ing conducting personal interviews, in a manner that is 
timely, while complying with all the application require-
ments, including security concerns. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State shall submit a report concerning the allocation 
of resources for embassies and consulates to the appro-
priate congressional committees.
SEC. 275. NOTICE TO UNITED STATES EMBASSIES ABROAD 
REGARDING CHILDREN WHO ARE THE SUB-
JECT OF INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION 
AND GUIDELINES RELATING TO SANCTUARY 
FOR SUCH CHILDREN. 
(a) NOTICE
OF INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUC-
TION.—The Secretary of State shall establish procedures 
to ensure that appropriate United States Embassies 
abroad are notified of the possible presence in that country 
of any child who has been the subject of international child 
abduction in violation of the order of a court in the United 
States. 
(b) GUIDELINES FOR SANCTUARY.—The Secretary of 
State shall promulgate guidelines for the personnel of 
United States Embassies abroad concerning procedures 
relating to sanctuary at such facilities for children who 
are the subject of international child abduction.
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SEC. 276. INADMISSIBILITY OF ALIENS SUPPORTING INTER-
NATIONAL 
CHILD 
ABDUCTORS 
AND 
REL-
ATIVES OF SUCH ABDUCTORS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 212(a)(10)(C)(ii) of the 
Immigration 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1182(a)(10)(C)(ii)) is amended—
(1) in subclause (I), by striking the comma at 
the end and inserting a semicolon; 
(2) in subclause (II), by striking ‘‘, or’’ at the 
end and inserting a semicolon; 
(3) by amending subclause (III) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(III) is a spouse (other than the 
spouse who is the parent of the ab-
ducted child), child (other than the 
abducted child), parent, sibling, cous-
in, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, or 
grandparent of an alien described in 
clause (i), is an agent of such an 
alien, or is a principal employing such 
an alien as an agent, if such person 
has been designated by the Secretary 
of State at the Secretary’s sole and 
unreviewable discretion; or’’ and 
(4) by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(IV) is a spouse of the abducted 
child described in clause (i), if such 
person has been designated by the 
Secretary of State at the Secretary’s 
sole and unreviewable discretion, 
is inadmissible until such child is surren-
dered to the person granted custody by the 
order described in that clause, and such 
custodian and child are permitted to return 
to the United States or such custodian’s 
place of residence.’’. 
(b) IDENTIFICATION OF ALIENS SUPPORTING AB-
DUCTORS AND RELATIVES OF ABDUCTORS; NOTICE TO 
CUSTODIAL PARENTS AND GUARDIANS; ANNUAL REPORT; 
DEFINITIONS.—Section 212(a)(10)(C) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(10)(C)) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iv) IDENTIFICATION
OF
ALIENS 
SUPPORTING ABDUCTORS AND RELATIVES 
OF ABDUCTORS.—In all instances in which 
an alien commits an act described in clause 
(i), the Secretary of State shall take appro-
priate action to identify the individuals 
who are inadmissible under clause (ii).
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‘‘(v) NOTICE TO CUSTODIAL PARENTS 
AND
GUARDIANS.—In all instances in 
which an alien commits an act described in 
clause (i), the Secretary of State shall, 
upon request of the person granted custody 
of the child concerned, inform the person 
of whether, and when, any individual who 
is inadmissible under clause (ii) by reason 
of such act has been issued a visa or other-
wise authorized to enter the United States. 
‘‘(vi) ANNUAL
REPORT.—The Sec-
retary of State annually shall submit to 
the Committee on International Relations, 
the Committee on Government Reform, 
and the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
United States House of Representatives, 
and the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
the Committee on Governmental Affairs, 
and the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
United States Senate, a report that pro-
vides, with respect to the preceding year, 
an accounting of the number of cases 
known 
to 
the 
Secretary 
of 
State, 
disaggregated according to the nationality 
of the alien concerned—
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‘‘(I) in which an authority under 
this subparagraph was exercised (and 
with respect to each such case, the 
specific ground for inadmissibility 
shall be specified); and 
‘‘(II) in which an authority under 
this subparagraph has not been exer-
cised but in which an alien, after 
entry of an order by a court in the 
United States granting custody to a 
person of a United States citizen 
child, detained or retained the child, 
or withheld custody of the child, out-
side the United States from the per-
son granted custody by that order. 
‘‘(vii) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of 
this subparagraph—
‘‘(I) the term ‘child’ means an in-
dividual who was a child at the time 
the individual was detained or re-
tained, or at the time custody of the 
individual was withheld, as described 
in clause (i), regardless of the age or 
marital status of the individual after 
such time; and
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‘‘(II) the term ‘sibling’ includes a 
step-sibling or half-sibling.’’.
SEC. 277. ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY OF UNITED STATES 
EMBASSIES, CONSULATES, AND OTHER DIP-
LOMATIC BUILDINGS. 
It is the sense of the Congress that, to the greatest 
extent possible, in the construction and renovation of 
United States embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic 
buildings, the Secretary of State shall consider and seek 
to preserve the architectural integrity and cohesiveness of 
the neighborhood and environs and minimize any disrup-
tion due to the presence of the embassy, consulate, or 
other diplomatic building. 
TITLE III—ORGANIZATION AND 
PERSONNEL OF THE DEPART-
MENT OF STATE 
SEC. 301. FELLOWSHIP OF HOPE PROGRAM. 
The Secretary of State is authorized to establish in 
the Department of State an exchange program to be des-
ignated the ‘‘Fellowship of Hope Program’’. The program 
shall provide for the exchange and assignment of govern-
ment employees of designated countries to fellowship posi-
tions at the Department of State and reciprocal assign-
ment of civil service and foreign service employees of the
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Department as fellows within the governments of foreign 
countries. 
SEC. 302. CLAIMS FOR LOST PAY. 
Section 2 of the State Department Basic Authorities 
Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2669) is amended—
(1) at the end of subsection (n) by striking the 
period and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (o) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(o) make administrative corrections or adjustments 
to an employee’s pay, allowances, or differentials, resulting 
from mistakes or retroactive personnel actions, and to pro-
vide back pay and other categories of payments under the 
Back Pay Act as part of the settlement of administrative 
claims or grievances filed against the Department.’’. 
SEC. 303. OMBUDSMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Office of the Secretary of State the position of Ombuds-
man. The position of Ombudsman shall be a career posi-
tion within the Senior Executive Service. The Ombudsman 
shall report directly to the Secretary of State. 
(b) DUTIES.—At the discretion of the Secretary of 
State, the Ombudsman shall participate in meetings re-
garding the management of the Department in order to 
assure that all employees may contribute to the achieve-
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ment of the Department’s responsibilities and to promote 
the career interests of all employees. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 172 of the 
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 
and 1989 (22 U.S.C. 2664a) is amended—
(1) by striking subsection (c); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (c). 
SEC. 304. REPEAL OF RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT 
FOR SENIOR FOREIGN SERVICE. 
Section 305 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 
U.S.C. 3945) is amended by striking subsection (d). 
SEC. 305. REPORT CONCERNING STATUS OF EMPLOYEES 
OF STATE DEPARTMENT. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall prepare and 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a re-
port that analyzes and evaluates the merits of the conver-
sion of employees of the Department of State to excepted 
service under chapter 21 of title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 306. HOME LEAVE. 
(a) REST
AND RECUPERATION TRAVEL.—Section 
901(6) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
4081(6)) is amended by striking ‘‘unbroken by home 
leave’’ both places it appears.
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(b) REQUIRED LEAVE IN THE UNITED STATES.—
Section 903(a) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 
U.S.C. 4083(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘18 months’’ and 
inserting ‘‘12 months’’. 
SEC. 307. INCREASED LIMITS APPLICABLE TO POST DIF-
FERENTIALS 
AND 
DANGER 
PAY 
ALLOW-
ANCES. 
(a) POST DIFFERENTIALS.—Section 5925(a) of title 
5, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘25 per-
cent’’ in the third sentence and inserting ‘‘35 percent’’. 
(b) DANGER PAY ALLOWANCES.—Section 5928 of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘25 
percent’’ both places it appears and inserting ‘‘35 per-
cent’’. 
(c) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall inform the ap-
propriate congressional committees of the criteria to be 
used in determinations of appropriate adjustments in post 
differentials under section 5925 of title 5, United States 
Code, and danger pay allowances under section 5928 of 
title 5, United States Code. 
(d) STUDY AND REPORT.—Two years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 
conduct a study assessing the effect of the increases in 
post differentials and danger pay allowances made by the 
amendments in subsections (a) and (b) in filling ‘‘hard-
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to-fill’’ positions. The Secretary shall submit a report of 
such study to the appropriate congressional committees. 
SEC. 308. REGULATIONS REGARDING RETIREMENT CREDIT 
FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICE PERFORMED 
ABROAD. 
Section 321(f) of the Foreign Relations Authorization 
Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (5 U.S.C. 8411 note; Public Law 
107–228) is amended by striking ‘‘regulations’’ and in-
serting ‘‘regulations, not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of the Foreign Relations Authorization 
Act, Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005,’’. 
SEC. 309. MINORITY RECRUITMENT. 
(a) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Section 324 of the 
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 
(Public Law 107–228) is amended by striking ‘‘and April 
1, 2004’’ and inserting ‘‘April 1, 2004, and April 1, 
2005’’. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—The provisions of section 325 
of such Act shall apply to funds authorized by section 
111(a)(1)(E) of this Act. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 325(c) of 
such Act is amended in the second sentence by striking 
‘‘two’’ and inserting ‘‘three’’.
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SEC. 310. MERITORIOUS STEP INCREASES. 
Section 406(b) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 
(22 U.S.C. 3966(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘receiving an 
increase in salary under subsection (a),’’.
SEC. 311. TREATMENT OF TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS 
AS 
PART 
OF 
THE 
GEOGRAPHIC 
UNITED 
STATES FOR PURPOSES OF TRANSFER AL-
LOWANCES. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for pur-
poses of transfer allowances for employees of the Depart-
ment of State under section 5924(2)(B) of title 5, United 
States Code, the territories and possessions of the United 
States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, shall be con-
sidered part of the geographic United States. 
TITLE IV—INTERNATIONAL 
ORGANIZATIONS 
Subtitle A—Basic Authorities and 
Activities 
SEC. 401. RAISING THE CAP ON PEACEKEEPING CONTRIBU-
TIONS. 
Section 404(b)(2)(B) of the Foreign Relations Au-
thorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 is amended 
by inserting after clause (iv) the following:
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‘‘(v) For assessments made during 
calendar year 2005 and calendar year 
2006, 27.10 percent.’’. 
SEC. 402. REGARDING THE REENTRY OF THE UNITED 
STATES IN UNESCO. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—As the United States re-
sumes membership in the United Nations Educational, 
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the 
President should—
(1) appoint a United States Representative to 
the Organization for Economic Cooperation and De-
velopment (OECD) who shall also serve as the 
United States Representative to UNESCO; 
(2) take steps to ensure that more Americans 
are employed by UNESCO, particularly for senior 
level positions; 
(3) request that the Secretary General of 
UNESCO create a Deputy Director General position 
for Management or a comparable position with high 
level managerial and administrative responsibilities 
to be filled by an American; 
(4) insist that any increases in UNESCO’s 
budget beyond the level of zero nominal growth for 
the 2004–2005 biennium focus primarily on the
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adoption of management and administrative reforms; 
and 
(5) request that the Secretary General of 
UNESCO spend the United States contribution to 
UNESCO for the last quarter of calendar year 2003 
on key education and science priorities of the organi-
zation that will directly benefit United States na-
tional interests. 
(b) ANNUAL ASSESSMENT FOR UNITED STATES PAR-
TICIPATION IN UNESCO.—Of the amounts authorized to 
be appropriated by section 113(a), such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the fiscal years 2004 and 2005 are 
authorized to be available for the annual assessment for 
United States contributions to the regular budget of the 
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Or-
ganization.
SEC. 403. UNESCO NATIONAL COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3 of the Act of July 30, 
1946, ‘‘Providing for membership and participation by the 
United States in the United Nations Educational, Sci-
entific, and Cultural Organization, and authorizing an ap-
propriation therefor.’’ (22 U.S.C. 287o) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 3. (a) In fulfillment of article VII of the con-
stitution of the Organization, the Secretary of State shall
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establish a National Commission on Educational, Sci-
entific, and Cultural Cooperation. 
‘‘(b) The National Commission shall be composed of 
not more than 35 members appointed by the Secretary 
of State in consultation with the National Academy of 
Sciences, the National Science Foundation, the Secretary 
of Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices, and the Secretary of the Interior. Members of the 
National Commission shall be representatives of non-
governmental organizations, academic institutions, and as-
sociations interested in education, scientific, and cultural 
matters. Periodically, the Secretary shall review and revise 
the entities represented on the National Commission in 
order to achieve a desirable rotation in representation. Ex-
cept as otherwise provided, each member of the National 
Commission shall be appointed to a term of 3 years. As 
designated by the Secretary of State at the time of ap-
pointment, of the members first appointed one-third shall 
be appointed for a term of 1 year, one-third shall be ap-
pointed for a term of 2 years, and one-third shall be ap-
pointed for a term of 3 years. Any member appointed to 
fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term 
for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall 
be appointed only for the remainder of that term. A mem-
ber may serve after the expiration of that member’s term
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until a successor has taken office. No member may serve 
more than 2 consecutive terms. The Secretary of State 
shall designate a chair of the National Commission. 
‘‘(c) Members of the National Commission shall serve 
without pay. For attendance at the annual meeting, each 
member shall receive travel expenses in accordance with 
section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
‘‘(d) The National Commission shall meet at the call 
of the chair at least annually and such meetings may be 
through video conferencing or other electronic means. The 
National Commission shall designate an executive com-
mittee from among the members of the commission and 
may designate such other committees as may be necessary 
to carry out its duties under this Act. 
‘‘(e) Upon request of the National Commission, the 
Secretary of State may detail any of the personnel of the 
Department of State to the National Commission to assist 
it in carrying out its duties under this Act.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING CHANGES.—Section 2 of the Act of 
July 30, 1946, ‘‘Providing for membership and participa-
tion by the United States in the United Nations Edu-
cational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, and au-
thorizing an appropriation therefor.’’ (22 U.S.C. 287o) is 
amended by striking ‘‘One of the representatives’’ and all 
that follows through the end of such section.