Department of State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2018

Bill: 115-s-1631
Sponsor: Sen. Corker, Bob [R-TN]
Introduced: 2017-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Alliances
Asia
Building construction
Child safety and welfare
China
Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Crimes against women
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Department of State
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Disability and paralysis
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Food assistance and relief
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign and international corporations
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Freedom of information
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Higher education
Human rights
Human trafficking
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
Judicial procedure and administration
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Military facilities and property
Military personnel and dependents
Minority employment
Public contracts and procurement
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Religion
Rule of law and government transparency
Russia
Science and engineering education
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Smuggling and trafficking
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Student aid and college costs
Technology assessment
Terrorism
Transportation costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Women's employment
Women's rights
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: 

Department of State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2018

 
This bill directs the Department of State to report to Congress regarding State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development reorganization plans.
 
The State Department is urged to establish an Office of Global Women's Issues.
 
The bill calls for establishment in the State Department of: (1) a Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; (2) an Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; and (3) an Office of International Disability Rights.
 
The State Department shall: (1) consult semiannually with appropriate federal agencies regarding the security of U.S. government and nongovernmental information systems used by the State Department, and (2) develop a Bureau of Diplomatic Security training program for detecting classified information spillage. 
 
The State Department shall: (1) periodically report to Congress regarding ongoing overseas capital construction and major embassy security upgrade projects, and (2) report annually to Congress on security violations. 
 
The bill sets forth State Department personnel and staffing provisions, including workplace diversity provisions.
 
The State Department may make grants or enter into cooperative agreements for science and technology fellowships.
 
 The State Department shall appoint a Director of Research and Evaluation to evaluate public diplomacy programs.
 
The bill sets forth public anti-corruption provisions, including requiring the State Department to: (1) designate an anti-corruption point of contact at appropriate U.S. missions; and (2) manage a whole-of-government effort to improve coordination among U.S. agencies that have a role in promoting good governance in foreign countries.
 
Each U.S. government agency that enters into any international agreement, other than a treaty, on behalf of the United States shall designate a Chief International Agreements Officer who shall transmit the agreement to the State Department. 
 

action_date: 2017-09-06
text: 

Department of State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2018

 
This bill directs the Department of State to report to Congress regarding State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reorganization plans. Any such plan shall preserve USAID's independence. 
 
The State Department is urged to establish an Office of Global Women's Issues.
 
The bill: (1) establishes in the State Department a Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and the position of Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; and (2) calls for the establishment in the State Department of an Office of International Disability Rights.
 
 The bill sets forth provisions regarding: (1) embassy construction and design; (2) personnel, staffing, and workplace diversity; (3) anti-corruption efforts; and (4) information security, including a prohibition on contracting with certain telecommunications providers.
 
The State Department may make grants or enter into cooperative agreements for science and technology fellowships.
 
The State Department shall: (1) appoint a Director of Research and Evaluation to evaluate public diplomacy programs, (2) develop a Bureau of Diplomatic Security training program for detecting classified information spillage, and (3) designate an anti-corruption point of contact at appropriate U.S. missions.
 
Each U.S. government agency that enters into any international agreement, other than a treaty, on behalf of the United States shall designate a Chief International Agreements Officer who shall transmit the agreement to the State Department.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-06
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 210.
action_date: 2017-09-06
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with amendments. Without written report.
action_date: 2017-09-06
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with amendments. Without written report.
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate