I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5246 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 10, 2025 Ms. Salazar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To provide for the political affairs authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes.

III Political Affairs 301. Under Secretary for Political Affairs (a) Establishment There shall be in the Department an Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs who shall be responsible to the Secretary of State for matters pertaining to regional and bilateral diplomacy, and such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. (b) Responsibilities In addition to the responsibilities described under subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Political Affairs shall maintain continuous observation and coordination of all matters pertaining to the implementation of the foreign policy of the United States, including, as appropriate, supporting the other Under Secretaries of State in implementing foreign policy. 302. Authorization of appropriations for political affairs Of the funds authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State under section 141, the Under Secretary for Political Affairs shall receive the funds necessary to fulfill the Under Secretary’s responsibilities for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. 303. Congressional notification regarding changes to regional bureau jurisdiction (a) In general Not later than 15 days before the Under Secretary for Political Affairs alters the geographic or functional jurisdiction of any regional bureau, including by adding or removing countries under the purview of such bureau, the Under Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a notification of such change, including— (1) a justification for such change; and (2) a description of the expected operational, programmatic, or policy implications for any bureau affected by such change. (b) Appropriate congressional committees defined In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. 304. Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic (a) Establishment There shall be in the Department an Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs for matters pertaining to the Arctic region, and such other related duties as such Under Secretary may from time to time designate. (b) Responsibilities In addition to the responsibilities described under subsection (a), the Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic shall maintain continuous observation and coordination of all matters pertaining to the Arctic region in the conduct of foreign policy, including— (1) energy exploration and development; (2) environmental conservation; (3) trade and economic development; and (4) infrastructure development and maintenance. 305. Ambassador-at-Large for the Indian Ocean Region (a) Establishment There is authorized to be in the Department an Ambassador-at-Large for the Indian Ocean Region who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs for matters pertaining to the Indian Ocean region, and such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. (b) Appointment Not later than April 1, 2026, the President shall nominate an individual, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve as the Ambassador-at-Large for the Indian Ocean Region, who shall report directly to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs. (c) Responsibilities (1) In general The primary responsibilities of the Ambassador shall be to— (A) ensure harmonization and continuity of United States diplomatic efforts and assistance programs across Indian Ocean region countries; (B) identify the diplomatic, military, economic, and development lines of effort that are of greatest United States strategic interest in Indian Ocean region countries and reinforce United States diplomatic and interagency engagement with respect to such lines of effort; and (C) perform such other duties as the Under Secretary for Political Affairs may from time to time designate. (2) Diplomatic representation Subject to the direction of the President and the Secretary, the Ambassador is authorized to represent the United States in matters and cases relevant to advancing United States strategic interests and foreign policy objectives across Indian Ocean region countries in— (A) contacts with regional governments, intergovernmental organizations, specialized agencies of the United Nations, the Indian Ocean Rim Association, and other international organizations concerning Indian Ocean region countries of which the United States is a member or which the Secretary of State may designate; (B) multilateral conferences and meetings relevant to Indian Ocean region countries; and (C) contacts with nongovernmental organizations that influence United States interests in Indian Ocean region countries. (3) Coordination of responsibilities In order to advance United States interests across Indian Ocean region countries, the Ambassador— (A) shall coordinate efforts to advance United States strategic interests in Indian Ocean region countries within the Department of State, including between the Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, the Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, the Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, and the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs; and (B) should participate in any interagency process described in paragraph (1)(B). 306. Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs There is authorized to be in the Department an Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs for matters pertaining to East Asia and the Pacific, and such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. 307. Authorization of Appropriations for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (a) Authorization of appropriations Of the funds authorized to be appropriated to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs under section 302, the Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs shall receive the funds necessary to fulfill Bureau functions and the Assistant Secretary’s responsibilities for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. (b) Administration of accounts The Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs shall direct, oversee, and otherwise exercise responsibility of funds made available for the Countering People’s Republic of China Influence Fund. 308. Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (a) Establishment The Secretary of State shall establish a Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, which shall perform such functions related to implementation of United States foreign policy and assistance to East Asia and the Pacific as the Under Secretary for Political Affairs may prescribe. (b) Head of Bureau The Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs shall be the head of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. (c) East Asia and the Pacific defined In this Act, East Asia and the Pacific means any country which the Under Secretary designates as within the responsibility of the Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. 309. Countering PRC Influence Fund Unit (a) Countering PRC Influence Fund Unit The Secretary of State may establish and maintain a Countering the PRC Influence Fund Unit (hereinafter referred to as the CPIF Unit ), within the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. (b) Personnel (1) Composition The CPIF Unit may be comprised of a Director, Deputy Director, and additional staff as appropriate, including a Budget Analyst, a Grant Officer, a Program Assistant, and a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist. (2) Staffing The CPIF Unit shall be comprised of personnel with expertise or experience in performing the following functions: (A) Grants Officer. (B) Program Assistant. (C) Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist. (3) Director The Director of the CPIF Unit shall fulfill the following responsibilities: (A) Identify specific strategic priorities for CPIF consistent with United States national security priorities. (B) Coordinate, select, and approve all CPIF programming, based on criteria that the program directly counters malign activities by China or provides United States alternatives to such activities. (C) Ensure that all CPIF programming advances United States foreign policy and interests. (D) Conduct oversight, monitoring, and evaluation of the effectiveness of all CPIF programming to ensure that it advances United States interests and degrades the ability of China or entities acting on the behalf of China to conduct malign influence operations. (E) Ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that all CPIF programming is carried out in coordination with other Federal activities to counter PRC malign influence. (4) Deputy Director The Deputy Director of the CPIF Unit may have responsibility for policy and programming to assist the Director, particularly with respect to CPIF Unit activities handled by other United States agencies. (c) Monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities The Director may— (1) direct monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities to maximize government efficiency and reduce the risks of fraud and waste; (2) conduct regular research and evaluation of CPIF programs and activities to improve ongoing and future activities; and (3) make available to Congress the findings of any research or evaluation conducted under paragraph (2). (d) PRC malign influence defined In this section, the term PRC malign influence means influence by China or an entity acting on the behalf of China that— (1) undermines a free and open international order; (2) utilizes coercion and dependency to advance the strategic objectives of the People’s Republic of China; (3) undermines the national security, territorial integrity, or sovereignty of the United States or other country; or (4) undermines the political and economic security of the United States or other country, including by promoting corruption or elite capture, distorting markets, and advancing coercive economic practices, including theft of intellectual property. (e) Termination A CPIF Unit established under this section shall terminate 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 310. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (a) Establishment There is authorized to be in the Department an Assistant Secretary for African Affairs who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs for matters pertaining to Africa, and such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. (b) Responsibilities In addition to the responsibilities described under subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs shall maintain continuous observation and coordination of all matters pertaining to implementation of United States foreign policy in Africa. 311. Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs (a) Establishment There is authorized to be in the Department an Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs for matters pertaining to the Middle East and North Africa, and such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. (b) Responsibilities In addition to the responsibilities described under subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs shall maintain continuous observation and coordination of all matters pertaining to implementation of American foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa. 312. Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs There is authorized to be in the Department an Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs for matters pertaining to South and Central Asia, and such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. 313. United States Code Classification The Office of Law Revision Counsel shall— (1) utilize sections 67 through 97 of title 22, United States Code, to classify the sections of this title; and (2) maintain the legislative history, under editorial notes, of repealed law which previously occupied the corresponding sections of the United States Code.