[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 152 (Tuesday, October 9, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H11346-H11347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             PUBLIC DIPLOMACY RESOURCE CENTERS ACT OF 2007

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2553) to amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
1956 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, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2553

       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 may be cited at the ``Public Diplomacy Resource 
     Centers Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. UNITED STATES PUBLIC DIPLOMACY.

       (a) Establishment and Maintenance of Libraries.--Section 
     1(b)(3) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 
     (22 U.S.C. 2651a(b)(3)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(F) provide for the establishment of new and the 
     maintenance of existing libraries and resource centers at or 
     in connection with United States diplomatic and consular 
     missions.''.
       (b) Operation of Libraries.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of State shall ensure that 
     libraries and resource centers established and maintained in 
     accordance with subparagraph (F) of section 1(b)(3) of the 
     State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (as added by 
     section 2(a)(3) of this Act) are open to the general public 
     to the greatest extent practicable, subject to policies and 
     procedures established by the Secretary to ensure the safety 
     and security of United States diplomatic and consular 
     missions and of United States officers, employees, and 
     personnel posted at such missions at which such libraries are 
     located.
       (2) Johnny grant film series.--The Secretary of State shall 
     ensure that such libraries and resource centers schedule 
     public showings of American films that showcase American 
     culture, society, values, and history. Such public showings 
     shall be known as the ``Johnny Grant Film Series''.
       (c) Receipt of Donations.--The Secretary of State may 
     accept donations that are made to the libraries and resource 
     centers authorized under this Act if the Secretary determines 
     that such receipt will not result in any cost to the Federal 
     Government.
       (d) 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 report containing and 
     evaluation of the functions and effectiveness of the 
     libraries and resource centers that are authorized under this 
     Act.
       (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to 
     amounts that are otherwise authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Department of State to carry out purposes similar to 
     those required under this Act, there are authorized to the 
     Secretary of State such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
     this Act.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Watson) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, and I 
yield myself such time as I may consume.
  First, I would like to thank Chairman Lantos, as well as my friend 
Mr. Bilirakis as, I think, acting in place of the ranking member (Ms. 
Ros-Lehtinen) for helping me to move this bill to the floor.
  I am proud to be the author of H.R. 2553, the Public Diplomacy 
Resource Centers Act of 2007. This bill is designed to provide our 
diplomats abroad with additional tools to show the world the best of 
American society. In the 110th Congress, the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs is working to help redeem the status and prestige that the 
United States has lost around the world in recent years.
  While U.S. foreign policy clearly is a key factor in how we are 
viewed

[[Page H11347]]

abroad, other factors are also critical to how the United States is 
viewed around the world. An important point of regaining our rightful 
leadership role is to find more effective ways to let the world know 
who we are as Americans and what we stand for.
  One of the most effective elements of American public policy is the 
array of libraries and information resource centers around the globe. 
The facilities run by our State Department provide people in foreign 
countries the ability to freely access information about the United 
States, about their own societies, and about science and the arts. For 
years, these resources have been a testament to the principle that the 
greatest tool we have against tyranny is the truth.
  But as we face this moment of tighter budgets, I am afraid that our 
public diplomacy libraries and resource centers are not getting the 
support they need.
  That is why I have introduced this bill. The bill would not seek to 
disrupt the efforts that the State Department has under way to organize 
and run its resource centers. Rather, it would seek to put these 
efforts on a more stable footing by creating a clear funding stream for 
the State Department libraries and resource centers abroad.
  Furthermore, the bill would establish the Johnny Grant film series as 
part of the State Department's public diplomacy effort. Johnny Grant is 
a legendary friend of American entertainment and is known as the 
honorary mayor of Hollywood for his continued efforts on behalf of the 
American entertainment industries. He is also an ardent proponent of 
the power of American film to convey the universal values of freedom 
and opportunity to others around the world. As of this year, he will 
have made his 60th trip abroad to entertain our troops.

                              {time}  1645

  By the way, he traveled with Bob Hope often. The Johnny Grant Film 
Series would provide the United States Government with the opportunity 
to show the world the optimism and promise of America as portrayed in 
our classic films.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank both my chairman, Tom Lantos, as 
well as my cosponsor, the ranking member, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for 
their extraordinary efforts to help me move this legislation forward. I 
would also like to specifically thank David Abramowitz and Lynne Weil 
of the majority staff, and Doug Anderson and Sam Stratman of the 
Republican staff for the kind consideration they showed to me and my 
staff as we sought to move this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2553, the Public Diplomacy 
Resource Centers Act of 2007. Every year, thousands of people living 
overseas visit an American Cultural Center or one of dozens of American 
Corners that are maintained by our State Department. Those libraries 
and cultural outposts are indispensable tools in our public diplomacy 
efforts around the world. They help foreign audiences better understand 
our Nation, our people, our government, and our society.
  The bill before us today will strengthen this American outreach by 
establishing a new film series and by requiring a report to Congress 
analyzing the effectiveness of libraries and resource centers. Also, by 
providing specific statutory authority for the establishment and 
maintenance of these centers, this bill will create an annual 
appropriations line item, which will allow Congress to oversee these 
activities in the future.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from California, my good 
friend, Ambassador Watson, and the ranking member of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee, my good friend, Representative Ros-Lehtinen, for 
introducing this measure, which deserves our support.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2553, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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