H.R. 8161

119 HR 8161 IH: Expeditionary Diplomacy Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-03-30
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 8161  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   March 30, 2026   Ms. Jacobs  (for herself and  Mr. Baumgartner ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Foreign Affairs    A BILL
To encourage the practice of expeditionary diplomacy at the Department of State.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Expeditionary Diplomacy Act  .
2.
Definition requirement
(a)
In general
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes a definition of the term  expeditionary diplomacy , and how it relates to diplomacy that is not expeditionary, and an overview of how the Department of State will apply this definition to enhance its ability to conduct expeditionary diplomacy in environments with an elevated security risk, including under the Diplomatic Security Act of 1986 ( 22 U.S.C. 4801 et seq. ), as amended by section 9302 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 ( Public Law 117–263 ).
(b)
Consultation
The Secretary of State shall consult relevant external stakeholders on the formulation of the definition required in subsection (a), which may include the American Academy of Diplomacy and the American Foreign Service Association, as appropriate.
3.
Report on expeditionary diplomacy at the Department of State
(a)
In general
Not later than 18 months after the submission of the report required by section 2, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on challenges with respect to expeditionary diplomacy at the Department of State and United States embassies and posts and recommendations to address such challenges.
(b)
Matters To be included
The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
An assessment of the capacity of regional security officers within the Department of State, including with respect to enabling expeditionary diplomacy, and, if applicable, recommendations to address any challenges in capacity.
(2)
A description of other challenges, internal and external to the Department of State, that prevent increased expeditionary diplomacy practiced among Chiefs of Mission and members of the Foreign Service.
(3)
An assessment of whether existing Department of State initiatives, and laws and regulations applicable to the Department, including under the Diplomatic Security Act of 1986 ( 22 U.S.C. 4801 et seq. ), as amended by section 9302 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 ( Public Law 117–263 ), further including the provisions on promotion precepts, training, and the sense of Congress on the establishment of an Expeditionary Diplomacy Award, are being utilized to address such other challenges, to include analysis describing the effectiveness of such initiatives, laws, and regulations in doing so.
(4)
An assessment of previous and ongoing efforts to enable expeditionary diplomacy, including in environments with an elevated security risk, that have been successful, and any lessons learned from such efforts, and recommendations as to how, if at all, those lessons learned could be applied more generally across the Department of State.
(5)
An assessment of how personnel policies at diplomatic posts and across the Foreign Service more generally impact members’ of the Foreign Service ability to practice expeditionary diplomacy, complete tours longer than one year in assignments to environments with an elevated security risk, and obtain sufficient country-level expertise (including through developing robust contacts with host country officials, business leaders, civil society groups, and other key stakeholders), and, if applicable, recommendations to improve such policies to incentivize members of the Foreign Service to carry out such work.
4.
Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that the President should include in the  President’s Letters of Instruction  the promotion of appropriate and effective risk management practices to encourage diplomats to regularly and meaningfully engage in expeditionary diplomacy and with populations in the country, including in high security and high threat environments.
5.
Amendments to Chief of Mission Authority
Section 207(a) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 ( 22 U.S.C. 3927(a) ) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking the  and  at the end;
(2)
in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(3)
shall exercise appropriate and effective risk management practices to encourage all relevant Government executive branch employees in that country to regularly and meaningfully engage in expeditionary diplomacy and with the populations in such country.
 .
6.
Establishment of expeditionary diplomacy Tiger Team
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall establish a team (commonly known as a  Tiger Team  and referred to in this section as the  Tiger Team ) dedicated to producing recommendations to the Secretary of State to improve the ability and willingness of Chiefs of Mission and Regional Security Officers to approve expeditionary diplomacy and of members of the Foreign Service to regularly practice expeditionary diplomacy. The Tiger Team shall consist of appropriate personnel of the Department of State assigned to the Tiger Team by the Secretary for the purposes of this section.
(b)
Tiger team leader
One of the persons assigned to the Tiger Team under subsection (a) shall be a senior-level officer or employee of the Department who shall serve as the lead official of the Tiger Team (in this section referred to as the  Tiger Team Leader ) and who shall be accountable for the activities of the Tiger Team under this section and not serve concurrently in another assignment or position at the Department during the tenure of the Tiger Team.
(c)
Report on composition
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report setting forth the names and titles of the personnel of the Department assigned to the Tiger Team pursuant to this subsection, including the positions to which assigned, which shall at minimum include at least one official that reports to the Under Secretary of Political Affairs, an official with international development experience and expertise, and at least one official each from the Bureaus of Diplomatic Security, Administration, Diplomatic Technology, Human Resources, Medical Services, and Overseas Building Operations, respectively. The report shall specify the name of the individual assigned as Tiger Team Leader.
(d)
Duties
(1)
In general
The Tiger Team shall produce recommendations to the Secretary of State to improve the ability and willingness of Chiefs of Mission and Regional Security Officers to approve expeditionary diplomacy and of members of the Foreign Service to regularly practice expeditionary diplomacy.
(2)
Collaboration
In conducting activities under this subsection, the Tiger Team Leader shall identify appropriate external stakeholders with whom the Tiger Team shall work to carry out such activities. Such stakeholders shall include the following:
(A)
American Academy of Diplomacy.
(B)
American Foreign Service Association.
(C)
Overseas Security Advisory Council.
(D)
Such other stakeholders as the Tiger Team Leader considers appropriate.
(3)
Initial report
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to Congress a plan on the Tiger Team’s work, to include the following:
(A)
A description of the manner in which the Secretary, working through the Tiger Team and in collaboration with external stakeholders described in paragraph (2), shall—
(i)
assess the current state of the Department’s ability and willingness to practice expeditionary diplomacy;
(ii)
review previous and current Department of State efforts and historical recommendation reports, external and internal, on expeditionary diplomacy;
(iii)
assess the current challenges experienced by the Department, Chiefs of Mission, and members of the Foreign Service in practicing expeditionary diplomacy; and
(iv)
produce policy, regulations, and legislative recommendations to address such challenges.
(B)
A timeline for the implementation, carrying out, and completion of the plan required under this paragraph.
(C)
A description of the additional funding, personnel, or other resources of the Department required to carry out the plan required under this paragraph, including any modification of applicable statutory or administrative authorities.
(4)
Implementation of plan
(A)
In general
The Secretary shall implement and carry out the plan submitted under paragraph (3) in accordance with the timeline submitted under subparagraph (B) of that paragraph.
(B)
Updates
Not less frequently than once every 90 days after the submittal of the report on the plan under paragraph (3), the Tiger Team shall submit to Congress an update on such plan.
(5)
Final report
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Tiger Team shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a final report on the activities of the Tiger Team under this subsection. The report shall set forth the following:
(A)
A description of the challenges related to expeditionary diplomacy identified pursuant to paragraph (3)(A)(ii), including challenges identified by the Comptroller General of the United States pursuant to the report in section 3.
(B)
A description of recommendations to address such challenges, including the resources, staffing, authorities, and legislative changes required for implementation, pursuant to paragraph (3)(A)(iii).
(C)
A timeline for the implementation of such recommendations.
(D)
A designation of an office responsible for monitoring the implementation of such recommendations following the termination of the Tiger Team pursuant to paragraph (6).
(E)
Any changes, as appropriate, to the definition required by section 2.
(6)
Monitoring implementation
For the period of 90 days after the date on which the final report required by paragraph (5) is submitted, the Tiger Team shall oversee and monitor the implementation of recommendations submitted in such report.
(7)
Termination
On the date that is 90 days after the date on which the final report required by paragraph (5) is submitted, the Secretary shall terminate the Tiger Team.
7.
Appropriate congressional committees defined
In this Act, the term  appropriate congressional committees  means—
(1)
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
(2)
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.