H.R. 5251

119 HR 5251 IH: To provide for the public diplomacy authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes.
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-09-10
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 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 5251  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   September 10, 2025   Mr. Huizenga  introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Foreign Affairs    A BILL
To provide for the public diplomacy authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes.
VII
Public diplomacy
A
Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy
701.
Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy
(a)
Establishment
There shall be in the Department an Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy who shall be responsible to the Secretary of State for matters pertaining to global public diplomacy, information operations targeting foreign audiences, strategic communications and information, international educational and cultural exchange programs, and such other 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 Public Diplomacy shall oversee and coordinate all matters pertaining to global public diplomacy and foreign information operations, including, as appropriate—
(1)
leading and directing all information and public diplomacy activities targeted at foreign audiences, communicating United States policy to foreign audiences, documenting and exposing the malign actions of foreign adversaries, ensuring global access to free information, and countering foreign censorship;
(2)
preparing and leading implementation of an annual strategic plan for public diplomacy in collaboration with regional and functional bureaus and overseas posts and in consultation with relevant national security agencies;
(3)
ensuring public diplomacy programs are assessed using effective and appropriate evaluation methods;
(4)
overseeing and directing Department personnel in the United States and abroad who conduct or implement public diplomacy policies, programs, and activities;
(5)
assisting United States-funded media to present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively;
(6)
submitting statements of United States policy and editorial material to the United States-funded media;
(7)
allocating and managing the financial and human resources for all public diplomacy functions within the Department of State, including for—
(A)
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs;
(B)
the Bureau of Strategic Communications; and
(C)
the public diplomacy functions within the regional and functional bureaus;
(8)
establishing and overseeing a regional public diplomacy team for each region, each of which shall—
(A)
integrate all public diplomacy programming and operations of the Department;
(B)
implement such programming and operations in the region of such team; and
(C)
be responsible for—
(i)
operationalizing the Department’s public diplomacy strategy in the region of such team;
(ii)
enabling region-specific execution of such strategy; and
(iii)
maintaining coherence with a unified United States strategy and overarching global objectives of the Department;
(9)
serving as Chair of interagency meetings on public diplomacy to align messaging across the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Commerce, Department of the Treasury, the intelligence community, and members of the Group of Seven; and
(10)
performing such other duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate.
702.
Authorization of appropriations for public diplomacy
Of the funds authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State under section 141, the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy shall receive the funds necessary to fulfill missions and responsibilities for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
B
Educational and Cultural Affairs
711.
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs
(a)
Establishment
There shall be in the Department an Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy for matters pertaining to the development, implementation, and oversight of all educational, cultural, and professional exchange programs, as well as related initiatives and activities, 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 Educational and Cultural Affairs shall be responsible for matters pertaining to academic, cultural, and professional exchanges in the conduct of foreign policy, including, as appropriate—
(1)
administering programs for youth and students, young leaders, established leaders, cultural elites, members of the press, and influencers, including the programs described in section 112 of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2460 );
(2)
integrating all exchange programming into global public diplomacy planning;
(3)
identifying regional priorities;
(4)
reducing overhead and administrative spending costs for programs;
(5)
consolidating support services for programs;
(6)
expanding cost-sharing partnerships with the private and nonprofit sectors;
(7)
ensuring clear foreign policy outcomes and performance; and
(8)
performing such other duties as the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy may from time to time designate.
712.
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
(a)
Establishment
The Secretary of State shall maintain the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs described in section 112 of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2460 ), which shall perform functions related to academic, cultural, and professional exchanges as the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy may prescribe.
(b)
Head of Bureau
The Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs shall be the head of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
713.
Authorization of appropriations for educational and cultural affairs
Of the funds authorized to be appropriated to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy under section 702, the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs shall receive the funds necessary to fulfill Bureau functions and the Assistant Secretary’s responsibilities for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
C
Strategic Communications
721.
Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications
(a)
Establishment
There is authorized to be in the Department an Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy for matters pertaining to strategic communication, global access to free information, countering foreign censorship efforts, 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 Strategic Communications shall oversee and coordinate all matters pertaining to foreign policy messaging in the conduct of foreign policy, including, as appropriate—
(1)
overseeing foreign-facing information operations;
(2)
managing regional content operations and media relations;
(3)
overseeing and providing strategic direction for all United States Government funded media entities;
(4)
establishing and overseeing an Office of Global Distribution and News Services that shall—
(A)
create and lead the open-content wire service; and
(B)
manage translation and distribution of United States Government content;
(5)
supporting investigative and independent media;
(6)
advocating for internet freedom;
(7)
advancing circumvention and access tools;
(8)
opposing censorship by foreign governments;
(9)
leading diplomatic engagements on information freedom; and
(10)
performing such other duties as the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy may from time to time designate.
(c)
Appointments
(1)
First appointment
The individual serving as the Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs on the day immediately prior to the date of the enactment of this Act shall be the Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications on and after the date of the enactment of this Act, until such individual vacates or is removed from such position.
(2)
Subsequent appointments
Any appointment of an individual to the position of Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications subsequent to the term of the individual described in paragraph (1) shall be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
722.
Authorization of appropriations for strategic communications
Of the funds authorized to be appropriated to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy under section 702, the Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications shall receive the funds necessary to fulfill Bureau functions and the Assistant Secretary’s responsibilities for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
723.
Repeal of limitation on use of funds for international expositions
Section 204 of the Admiral James W. Nance and Meg Donovan Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001 ( 22 U.S.C. 2452b ) is repealed.
D
United States Code Classification
731.
United States Code Classification
The Office of Law Revision Counsel shall—
(1)
reclassify sections 211a through 214a, 217a, and 218 of title 22, United States Code, as sections 244 through 254 of title 22, United States Code;
(2)
utilize sections 191 through 221 of title 22, United States Code, to classify the sections of this title; and
(3)
maintain the legislative history, under editorial notes, of repealed and reclassified law which previously occupied the corresponding sections of United States Code.