H.R. 8139

119 HR 8139 IH: Congressional Office for International Leadership Accountability and Reform Act of 2026
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-03-27
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 8139  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   March 27, 2026   Mr. Huizenga  (for himself and  Mrs. Bice ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on House Administration    A BILL
To establish a new charter for the Congressional Office for International Leadership.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Congressional Office for International Leadership Accountability and Reform Act of 2026  .
2.
Reform of Congressional Office for International Leadership charter
Section 313 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 ( 2 U.S.C. 1151 ), is amended to read as follows:
313
Congressional Office for International Leadership
(a)
Establishment
There is established in the legislative branch of the Government an office known as the  Congressional Office for International Leadership  (in this section referred to as the  Office ).
(b)
Purpose
The purpose of the Office is to support the Congress in a nonpartisan manner with core missions—
(1)
to foster connections between the Congress and emerging political, civic, and professional leaders of eligible foreign states by administering exchange programs to help the leaders build lasting relationships with the Congress and American communities; and
(2)
to serve as a bridge between the Congress and emerging political, civic, and professional leaders of eligible foreign states by facilitating direct dialogue on American foreign policy, legislative developments, and key policy issues through grassroots diplomacy.
(c)
Board of Trustees
(1)
Composition
The Office shall be subject to the supervision and direction of a Board of Trustees (in this section referred to as the  Board ) composed of the following 12 members:
(A)
Two Members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker, one of whom shall be designated by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and one of whom shall be designated by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
(B)
Two Senators appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be designated by the Majority Leader of the Senate and one of whom shall be designated by the Minority Leader of the Senate.
(C)
The chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives.
(D)
The chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
(E)
Four private individuals, with interests in improving relations between the United States and eligible foreign states, who shall be appointed by the Executive Director of the Office, with the approval of the chairman of the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, without regard to civil service laws and political affiliation.
(2)
Term
Each member appointed under subparagraph (A), (B), or (E) of paragraph (1) shall serve a renewable term of 3 years.
(3)
Quorum
A majority of the members appointed to the Board shall constitute a quorum.
(4)
Vacancies
A vacancy with respect to a member, other than a member appointed under subparagraph (C) or (D) of paragraph (1), shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, and the individual so appointed shall serve for the remainder of the term.
(5)
Expenses
The members of the Board shall serve without pay, but each member shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of the Board, in accordance with  chapter 57  of title 5, United States Code.
(d)
Eligible foreign states
(1)
In general
The Board shall decide from time to time on the designation of a country as an  eligible foreign state  or the removal of such designation.
(2)
Notice to congressional committees
The Board shall provide written notice to the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate of a decision under paragraph (1) not later than 90 days before the decision takes effect.
(e)
Executive Director
(1)
In general
There shall be an Executive Director of the Office who shall be the chief executive officer of the Office and who shall carry out the functions of the Office, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board, without political or partisan bias.
(2)
Appointment; removal
The House and Senate leadership shall appoint, and may remove, the Executive Director of the Office, without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the Executive Director, only on the recommendation of the appointment or removal by the members of the Board described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) of subsection (c)(1).
(3)
Term
The Executive Director of the Office shall serve a renewable term of 6 years, to begin from the date of the appointment of the Executive Director.
(4)
Pay
The Executive Director of the Office shall receive compensation at the annual rate specified by the Board, which may not exceed level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code.
(5)
Deputy Director
The Executive Director of the Office shall appoint a Deputy Director, without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the office, who shall act as the Executive Director during the absence or incapacity of the Executive Director or a vacancy in the office of the Executive Director and perform such other duties assigned to the Deputy Director by the Executive Director, but the House and Senate leadership may appoint the Deputy Director, on the recommendation of the appointment by members of the Board described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) of subsection (c)(1), if a vacancy arises with respect to the office of the Deputy Director and more than 120 days have elapsed since—
(A)
the initial appointment of the Executive Director of the Office; and
(B)
the creation of the vacancy.
(6)
House and Senate leadership defined
In this subsection, the term  House and Senate leadership  means the following:
(A)
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(B)
The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
(C)
The Majority Leader of the Senate.
(D)
The Minority Leader of the Senate.
(f)
Administrative provisions
(1)
Personnel
The Executive Director of the Office may appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Office, except that in no case shall employees other than the Executive Director be compensated at a rate to exceed the maximum rate for employees in grade GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
(2)
Experts and consultants
The Executive Director of the Office may procure temporary and intermittent services of experts and consultants as are necessary to the extent authorized by section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, but at rates not to exceed the rate specified at the time of such service for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code.
(3)
Regulations
The Executive Director of the Office may prescribe such regulations as the Executive Director considers necessary governing the manner in which the functions of the Office shall be carried out.
(4)
Receiving and using gifts
The Executive Director of the Office may solicit and receive money and other property donated, bequeathed, or devised to the Office, without condition or restriction other than the money or other property to be used for the purposes of the Office, and to use, sell, or otherwise dispose of such property for the purpose of carrying out the functions of the Office.
(5)
Noncompensated personnel
The Executive Director of the Office may accept and utilize the services of voluntary and noncompensated personnel and reimburse such personnel for expenses in accordance with  chapter 57  of title 5, United States Code.
(6)
Contracts
The Executive Director of the Office may enter into contracts, grants, or other arrangements to carry out the provisions of this section, and the Executive Director may enter into such contracts, grants, or other arrangements without performance or other bonds or without regard to section 6101 of title 41, United States Code, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the Board.
(7)
Official expenses
The Executive Director of the Office may make expenditures for—
(A)
official reception and representation expenses; and
(B)
expenditures for meals, entertainment, and refreshments in connection with official training sessions or other programs or activities conducted by the Office.
(8)
Additional funding sources
The Executive Director of the Office may apply for, receive, and use for the purposes of the Office grants or other assistance from Federal sources.
(9)
Necessary expenditures
The Executive Director of the Office may make other necessary expenditures.
(10)
Nonpartisan service
The personnel of the Office shall carry out the duties and responsibilities with respect to the Office without partisan bias.
(11)
Reporting of finances
For each fiscal year, the Executive Director of the Office shall—
(A)
prepare an audited financial statement for the preceding fiscal year, which shall—
(i)
cover all accounts and associated activities of the Office; and
(ii)
reflect the overall financial position of the Office, including assets and liabilities of the Office, and the results of the operations of the Office;
(B)
appoint an independent external auditor who shall, in accordance with applicable generally accepted government auditing standards—
(i)
carry out an audit of the financial statement described in subparagraph (A); and
(ii)
submit a report of the audit to the Executive Director of the Office and the Comptroller General; and
(C)
submit to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate the audited financial statement and the report.
(12)
Audited financial statements
(A)
In general
For each fiscal year, the Executive Director of the Office shall prepare and submit to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate an audited financial statement for the preceding fiscal year, covering all accounts and associated activities of the Office.
(B)
Contents of financial statement
An audited financial statement under this paragraph shall reflect—
(i)
the overall financial position of the activities covered by the statement, including assets and liabilities thereof; and
(ii)
results of operations of those activities.
(C)
Audit by independent external auditor
A financial statement under this paragraph shall be audited in accordance with applicable generally accepted government auditing standards by an independent external auditor appointed by the Executive Director of the Office.
(D)
Submission of audit report by auditor
The auditor appointed under subparagraph (C) to audit a financial statement under this paragraph shall submit a report on the audit, which shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards, to the Executive Director of the Office and the Comptroller General.
(E)
GAO review
The Comptroller General of the United States—
(i)
may review any audit of a financial statement conducted under this subsection;
(ii)
shall report to the Executive Director of the Office, the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, regarding the results of the review and make any recommendation that the Comptroller General considers appropriate; and
(iii)
may audit a financial statement prepared under this paragraph at the discretion of the Comptroller General or at the request of the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
(F)
Regulations
The Comptroller General may prescribe regulations to carry out this paragraph and include in such regulations any requirement in  chapter 35  of title 31, United States Code, that the Comptroller General considers appropriate.
(g)
Grant program
(1)
In general
To carry out the purpose described in subsection (b), the Office shall award grants to government or community organizations in the United States to host emerging political or civic leaders at any level of government who are nationals of eligible foreign states (in this subsection referred to as  program participants ) in the United States.
(2)
Duration of stay in the United States
A recipient of a grant under this subsection may not host a program participant in the United States for not more than 30 days for each calendar year.
(3)
Limitation
The Office shall ensure that grant funds under this subsection shall support not more than 3,500 program participants in any calendar year.
(4)
Permissible uses of grant funds
Grant funds under this subsection may be used to pay—
(A)
the costs and expenses incurred by a program participant for travel in the United States and between an eligible foreign state and the United States;
(B)
the costs for the lodging of a program participant in the United States, whether such lodging is provided through public accommodations or private homes; and
(C)
administrative expenses incurred by a recipient of a grant under this subsection to host a program participant.
(5)
Applications
An organization in the United States may submit to the Office, at such time and in such manner as the Office may reasonably require, an application for a grant under this subsection that includes the following information, for each funding period for which the organization requests grant funds in the application:
(A)
A calendar of proposed events or activities sponsored by the organization for the benefit of program participants for the funding period that includes the location and a description of each such proposed event or activity.
(B)
The number and proposed qualifications of program participants hosted using the grant funds.
(C)
Assurances that the organization will address any concern raised by the Office or the Board to support the Congress without partisan bias.
(D)
Any such other assurances and other information as the Office may reasonably require.
(6)
Board review
The Board may review the decision of the Executive Director of the Office to approve or deny the disbursal of grant funds with respect to a funding period based on an application submitted pursuant to paragraph (5) and direct the Executive Director of the Office to reconsider the decision.
(7)
Changes to application information
An organization that submits an application pursuant to paragraph (5) shall submit to the Office any changes to the information in the application at such time and in such manner as the Office may reasonably require, and the Board may review the decision of the Executive Director of the Office with respect to the application in light of such changes.
(8)
Funding period
The funding period referred to in this subsection shall be a quarter of a calendar year, unless the Executive Director of the Office specifies another period with the approval of the Board.
(9)
Notice to Congress
The Executive Director of the Office shall take reasonable measures to provide written notice to each Member of the House of Representatives and Senator of each event or activity funded under this subsection located in the congressional district of the Member and the State of the Senator, not later than 30 days before the event or activity.
(10)
Reports
(A)
By grant recipients
Not later than 30 days after the end of a calendar year, a recipient of a grant under this subsection for the calendar year shall submit to the Office, at such time and in such manner as the Office may reasonably require, a report containing a description of—
(i)
the events or activities sponsored by the recipient;
(ii)
the use of the grant funds; and
(iii)
such other information as required by the Office.
(B)
By the Executive Director
Not later than 90 days after the end of a calendar year, the Executive Director of the Office shall submit to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate a report containing a summary of the reports submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) with respect to the calendar year.
(h)
Congressional Office for International Leadership Fund
(1)
In general
There is established in the Treasury of the United States a trust fund known as the  Congressional Office for International Leadership Fund  (in this section referred to as the  Fund ), which shall consist of amounts which may be appropriated, credited, or transferred to the Fund under this section.
(2)
Donations
Any money or other property donated, bequeathed, or devised to the Office shall be credited to the Fund.
(3)
Management
(A)
In general
The provisions of subsections (b), (c), and (d) of section 116 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1989 ( 2 U.S.C. 1105(b) , (c), and (d)), and the provisions of section 117(b) of such Act ( 2 U.S.C. 1106(b) ), shall apply to the Fund and the Office.
(B)
Expenditures
The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to pay to the Office from amounts in the Fund such sums as the Board determines are necessary and appropriate to enable the Office to carry out the provisions of this section.
(i)
Support from the Library of Congress
The Librarian of Congress shall provide to the Office such office and meeting space and such administrative, legal, financial management, and other services required for the operation of the Office, including the disbursement of funds appropriated to the Office, and collect from the Fund the full costs of providing the services under this paragraph, as provided under an agreement for services ordered under sections 1535 and 1536 of title 31, United States Code.
 .
3.
Transition provisions
(a)
Terms of Trustees
The members of the Board of Trustees of the Congressional Office for International Leadership under subparagraphs (A), (B), and (D) of section 313(c)(1) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 ( 2 U.S.C. 1151(c)(1) ), immediately prior to the effective date of this Act, shall continue to be members on the effective date of this Act until the expiration of their respective terms as specified under such section immediately prior to the effective date of this Act.
(b)
Executive Director
The Executive Director of the Congressional Office for International Leadership as of the effective date of this Act may continue to serve as Executive Director until not later than 6 months after the effective date, and the Executive Director may be appointed to a new term in accordance with section 313(e) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001, as amended by this Act.
(c)
Eligible foreign states
The countries that are eligible foreign states under section 313(j) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 ( 2 U.S.C. 1151(j) ), immediately prior to the effective date of this Act, shall be eligible foreign states subject to section 313(d) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001, as amended by this Act.
(d)
Other personnel
The amendments made by this Act shall not affect the continued employment or other appointment of the personnel of the Congressional Office for International Leadership as of the effective date of this Act, other than the members of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Director.
(e)
Other matters
The amendments made by this Act shall not affect the validity of the contracts, liabilities, records, property, appropriations, and other assets and interests of the Congressional Office for International Leadership as of the effective date of this Act.
4.
Effective date
This Act shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.