State Department Integrity and Transparency Act

Bill: 118-s-4476
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced: 2024-06-05
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2024-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4476 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 5, 2024 Mr. Kaine (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen , and Mr. Merkley ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To require additional disclosures with respect to nominees to serve as chiefs of mission, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the State Department Integrity and Transparency Act . 2. Sense of Congress regarding a professional and nonpartisan Department of State It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the People’s Republic of China and other competitor nations are rapidly expanding their global diplomatic presences; and (2) it is imperative for United States national security that the Department of State is appropriately staffed by empowered, nonpartisan foreign policy professionals and thoroughly qualified and vetted political appointees, who work together to protect United States citizens and advance United States foreign policy interests. 3. Enhancing the professionalism of Assistant Secretaries of State (a) Disclosure requirements Section 304(a)(4) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 ( 22 U.S.C. 3944(a)(4) ) is amended— (1) by inserting or as an assistant secretary after chief of mission ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: Each such report shall explain the source and extent of such nominee’s knowledge of the principal language or dialect of the country, region, or institution, as applicable, in which the nominee has been nominated to serve as chief of mission or assistant secretary and the manner and extent to which such nominee meets the criteria described in paragraph (1), particularly with respect to the source and extent of such individual’s knowledge and understanding of the history, culture, economics, politics, and interests of the people of such country, region, or institution. . (b) Hiring requirement Section 1(c)(1) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 ( 22 U.S.C. 2651a(c)(1) ) is amended— (1) by inserting , United States Code after title 5; and (2) by adding at the end the following: Not fewer than 75 percent of the Assistant Secretaries in the Department of State shall have served in the Senior Foreign Service or the Senior Executive Service. . 4. Additional disclosures required with respect to nominees Section 304(b)(3) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 ( 22 U.S.C. 3944(b)(3) ) is amended— (1) by striking Each and inserting the following: “(A) In this paragraph— (i) the term bundled contribution has the meaning given such term in section 304(i)(8)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 ( 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(8)(A) ); (ii) the term contribution has the meaning given such term in section 301(8) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 ( 52 U.S.C. 30101(8) ); and (iii) the term immediate family means— (I) the spouse of the nominee; (II) any child, parent, grandparent, brother, or sister of the nominee; and (III) the spouse of any of the individuals described in subclause (II). (B) Each ; (2) in subparagraph (B), as redesignated, by striking The report and inserting the following: (C) The report shall include the disclosure of all bundled contributions facilitated by the nominee during the period described in subparagraph (B), in accordance with section 304(i) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 ( 52 U.S.C. 30104(i) ), and ; (3) by striking The chairman and inserting the following: (D) The chairman ; and (4) in subparagraph (D), as redesignated, by adding at the end the following: The Secretary of State shall publish each such report and each Certificate of Competency issued pursuant to subsection (a)(4) on a publicly available website of the Department of State. . 5. Certification of compliance with the Foreign Service Act of 1980 Section 304(a) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended by section 3(a), is further amended by adding at the end the following: (5) The President shall certify to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate that— (A) any individual nominated to be a chief of mission meets the qualifications required under paragraph (1); and (B) any contributions made by any such individual or family member, whether or not included in the report described in paragraph (4), played no role in such nomination. . 6. Limitations on overseas placement of special appointment positions that do not exercise significant authority (a) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that all officials of the United States Government offered to receive diplomatic accreditation from a foreign nation should be thoroughly vetted and reviewed for qualification before— (1) being authorized to represent the United States Government at sensitive postings overseas; or (2) receiving taxpayer-funded salaries, allowances, and employment benefits in connection with such a posting. (b) Limitations (1) In general Section 1(j)(2) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 ( 22 U.S.C. 2651a(j) ) is amended— (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), respectively, and moving such clauses, as redesignated, 2 ems to the right; (B) by striking The President ; and inserting the following: (A) In general The President ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (B) Limitations All special appointments under subparagraph (A), and all positions described in schedule B or schedule C of subpart C of part 213 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, to a United States diplomatic mission may not exceed 90 days. An individual may not be appointed to more than 1 position described in this paragraph during a single calendar year. . (2) Effective date The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on January 1, 2025.