[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2843 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2843

To provide for the establishment and maintenance of existing libraries 
and resource centers at United States diplomatic and consular missions 
 to provide information about American culture, society, and history, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 22, 2007

  Ms. Watson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on 
  Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the establishment and maintenance of existing libraries 
and resource centers at United States diplomatic and consular missions 
 to provide information about American culture, society, and history, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This act shall be known as the ``Library of Congress Public 
Diplomacy Collection Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PUBLIC DIPLOMACY COLLECTION.

    (a) In General.--The Librarian of Congress shall create a 
collection of materials of various media, print, audio, and visual for 
use in libraries and resource centers operated by the Department of 
State under the provisions of section 112(a)(4) of the Mutual 
Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (commonly referred to as 
the Fulbright-Hays Act).
    (b) Contents.--The collection shall include a broad cross-section 
of materials of various media, print, audio, and visual. The collection 
should include materials which provide insight into United States 
culture, principles and values, law and civics, and democracy, and 
shall be available for public use.
    (c) Donations.--The Librarian may accept donations of materials 
that are made to the collection if the Librarian determines that such 
receipt will not result in any cost to the Federal Government.
    (d) Availability.--The Librarian shall make materials in the 
collection available upon request to any Chief of Mission at a United 
States Embassy or Consulate, and shall provide for the conveyance of 
such materials to a Department of State library or resource center, and 
for their return to the collection.
    (e) Johnny Grant Film Series.--As part of the collection, the 
Librarian shall maintain a separate collection of American films that 
showcase United States culture, society, values, and principles. Such 
collection shall be known as the ``Johnny Grant Film Series''. Such 
films shall be made available to Chiefs of Mission for foreign public 
viewing in host countries under the provisions of subsection (d).

SEC. 3. ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PUBLIC DIPLOMACY.

    The Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (authorized under 
section 1334 of the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6553)) shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations 
of the Senate a biennial report containing and evaluation of the 
functions and effectiveness of activities authorized under this Act.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Librarian of Congress.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Librarian of Congress such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
the Librarian's responsibilities under this Act.
    (b) Secretary of State.--In addition to amounts that are otherwise 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State to carry out 
purposes similar to those required under this Act, there are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to 
carry out the Secretary's responsibilities under this Act.
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