Title: Global Engagement Center Authorities Act of 2018
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Global Engagement Center Authorities Act of 2018
This bill revises provisions relating to the Global Engagement Center and its role in countering foreign and non-state propaganda and disinformation efforts aimed at undermining the policies, security, or stability of the United States and its allies and partner states. It also modifies the center's grant program for assisting specified entities in countering such propaganda and disinformation efforts. The Department of State shall brief Congress at least annually on the activities of the center.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5681 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5681

To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 to 
clarify certain responsibilities of the Global Engagement Center of the 
              Department of State, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 2018

 Mr. Schneider (for himself and Mr. Ted Lieu of California) introduced 
  the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
  Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 to 
clarify certain responsibilities of the Global Engagement Center of the 
              Department of State, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Global Engagement Center Authorities 
Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CENTER.

    Section 1287 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2017 (22 U.S.C. 2656 note) is amended--
            (1) by amending paragraph (2) of subsection (a) to read as 
        follows:
            ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the Center shall be to 
        direct, lead, synchronize, integrate, and coordinate efforts of 
        the Federal Government to recognize, understand, expose, and 
        counter foreign state and non-state propaganda and 
        disinformation efforts aimed at undermining or influencing the 
        policies, security, or stability of the United States and 
        United States allies and partner nations.'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) Direct, lead, synchronize, integrate, and coordinate 
        interagency and international efforts to track and evaluate 
        counterfactual narratives abroad that threaten the policies, 
        security, or stability of the United States and United States 
        allies and partner nations.'';
                    (B) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
            ``(4) Identify current and emerging trends in foreign 
        propaganda and disinformation in order to coordinate and shape 
        the development of tactics, techniques, and procedures to 
        expose and refute foreign propaganda and disinformation, and 
        pro-actively support the promotion of credible, fact-based 
        narratives and policies to audiences outside the United 
        States.'';
                    (C) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (10) as 
                paragraphs (7) through (11), respectively;
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(6) Measure and evaluate the activities of the Center, 
        including the outcomes of such activities, and implement 
        mechanisms to ensure activities of the Center are updated to 
        reflect the results of such measurement and evaluation.''; and
                    (E) by amending paragraph (8), as so redesignated, 
                to read as follows:
            ``(8) Utilize information from appropriate interagency 
        entities to identify the countries, geographic areas, and 
        populations most susceptible to propaganda and disinformation, 
        as well as the countries, geographic areas, and populations in 
        which such propaganda and disinformation is likely to cause the 
        most harm.'';
            (3) in subsection (d), by amending paragraphs (1) and (2) 
        to read as follows:
            ``(1) Detailees and assignees.--Any Federal Government 
        employee may be detailed or assigned to the Center with or 
        without reimbursement, consistent with applicable laws and 
        regulations regarding such employee, and such detail or 
        assignment shall be without interruption or loss of status or 
        privilege.
            ``(2) Other personnel.--The Secretary of State should, when 
        hiring additional United States citizen personnel, preference 
        use of Foreign Service limited appointments in accordance with 
        section 309 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
        3949). The Secretary may hire United States citizens or aliens, 
        as appropriate, including as personal services contractors, for 
        purposes of personnel resources of the Center, if--
                    ``(A) the Secretary determines that existing 
                personnel resources or expertise are insufficient;
                    ``(B) the period in which services are provided by 
                a personal services contractor, including options, does 
                not exceed 3 years, unless the Secretary determines 
                that exceptional circumstances justify an extension of 
                up to one additional year;
                    ``(C) not more than 50 United States citizens or 
                aliens are employed as personal services contractors 
                under the authority of this paragraph at any time; and
                    ``(D) the authority of this paragraph is only used 
                to obtain specialized skills or experience or to 
                respond to urgent needs.'';
            (4) in subsection (e), by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
        follows:
            ``(2) Notice requirement.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
        notify the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
        Appropriations, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
        House of Representatives, and the Committee on Armed Services, 
        the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Foreign 
        Relations of the Senate of a proposed transfer under paragraph 
        (1) not less than 15 days prior to making such transfer.'';
            (5) in subsection (f), by amending paragraphs (1) and (2) 
        to read as follows:
            ``(1) Authority for grants.--The Center is authorized to 
        provide grants or contracts of financial support to civil 
        society groups, media content providers, nongovernmental 
        organizations, federally funded research and development 
        centers, private companies, or academic institutions for the 
        following purposes:
                    ``(A) To support local entities and linkages among 
                such entities, including independent media entities, 
                that are best positioned to refute foreign propaganda 
                and disinformation in affected communities.
                    ``(B) To collect and store in print, online, and 
                social media examples of disinformation and propaganda 
                directed at the United States and United States allies 
                and partner nations.
                    ``(C) To analyze and report on tactics, techniques, 
                and procedures of foreign information warfare and other 
                efforts with respect to disinformation and propaganda.
                    ``(D) To support efforts by the Center to counter 
                efforts by foreign entities to use disinformation and 
                propaganda to undermine or influence the policies, 
                security, and social and political stability of the 
                United States and United States allies and partner 
                nations.
            ``(2) Funding availability and limitations.--The Secretary 
        of State shall provide that each entity that receives funds 
        under this subsection is selected in accordance with the 
        relevant existing regulations through a process that ensures 
        such entity has the credibility and capability to carry out 
        effectively and in accordance with United States interests and 
        objectives the purposes specified in paragraph (1) for which 
        such entity received such funding.'';
            (6) by redesignating subsections (h) and (i) as subsections 
        (i) and (j), respectively; and
            (7) by inserting after subsection (g) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(h) Congressional Briefings.--The Secretary of State, together 
with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, 
shall provide a briefing to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Armed Services of 
the Senate not less often than annually regarding the activities of the 
Global Engagement Center. The briefings required under this subsection 
shall terminate on the date specified in subsection (j).''.
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