[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 172 (Tuesday, December 21, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10926-S10927]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               DIPLOMACY

  Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, today I wish to talk about public 
diplomacy. I have spent a lot of time in Africa and have built close 
relationships with many African leaders. As you know, our country's 
official diplomacy is conducted by the State Department. However, 
public diplomacy involving people-to-people interaction is equally 
important for promoting a positive image of America to the world. The 
United States is admired as a beacon of freedom for oppressed people 
everywhere. The attacks on the U.S. of 9/11 demonstrate the new 
challenge we face by the forces of ignorance and intolerance that seek 
the destruction of our country.
  Today I include in the record an insightful essay that I will share 
with the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the 
critical role of public diplomacy in building bridges of good will for 
the United States. The author is Richard Soudriette, the president of 
the Center for Diplomacy and Democracy in Colorado Springs, CO. Mr. 
Soudriette is the founding president of the International Foundation 
for Electoral Systems, IFES, which has promoted free and fair elections 
in over 120 countries.
  I have a long and personal history with Richard as he was my chief of 
staff in my office as mayor of Tulsa. Since then, he went on to be the 
founding president of the International Foundation for Electoral 
System, IFES, which has promoted free and fair elections in over 120 
countries. Richard and I share the same heart for Africa and the same 
vision for developing countries around the world; that they continue to 
move towards self-sufficiency and become thriving economic nations.
  His essay discusses public diplomacy at the local level and mentions 
my home town of Tulsa, OK, as an example of a community that has 
developed innovative international visitor programs. Public diplomacy 
is vital to keeping our country safe. The best way to defeat the forces 
of extremism is to educate people around the globe about America and 
our values, culture, and people.
  I strongly support Richard's work around the world and I ask 
unanimous consent that the statement by Richard Soudriette be printed 
in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

          Public Diplomacy: Building Bridges of Understanding

[By Richard W. Soudriette, Center for Diplomacy and Democracy, December 
                                8, 2010]

       Ever since the proclamation of the Declaration of 
     Independence in Philadelphia over 200 years ago, America has 
     championed the power of the human spirit. Across the globe, 
     America is a beacon of freedom that gives hope to people 
     living under oppression.
       Our country faces many challenges never envisioned by the 
     Founding Fathers in 1776. The deadly attacks on America that 
     occurred on September 11, 2001 revealed that extremist 
     elements seek to destroy America and all that it symbolizes. 
     Al-Qaeda and their cohorts are dedicated to the eradication 
     of human rights and democracy. Islamic extremists do a great 
     injustice to Muslims who reject the extremist philosophy of 
     hatred, ignorance, and intolerance.
       Defeating the forces of extremism will require more than 
     military power. It also will require tenacious public 
     diplomacy to educate people from Muslim countries, as well as 
     elsewhere, about America.
       Public diplomacy is a term that was coined by respected 
     career U.S. diplomat, Edmund Gullion, who also served as dean 
     of the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Ambassador 
     Gullion described public diplomacy as the way sovereign 
     nations openly and transparently communicate their ideas, 
     culture, and values to people of other countries.
       Public diplomacy has become an essential component of U.S. 
     foreign policy. The Obama Administration has sought increases 
     in public diplomacy funding. The current Under Secretary of 
     State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Judith McHale, 
     recently unveiled ``The Strategic Plan for Public Diplomacy 
     for America in the 21st Century.''
       Despite bipartisan support for public diplomacy, the image 
     of the U.S. continues to lose ground in many parts of the 
     globe. Our image problem in many countries is documented by 
     the work of the Pew Charitable Trusts Global Image Project. 
     Some respected organizations such as the Council on Foreign 
     Relations have focused on the failings of our public 
     diplomacy apparatus. The morphing of the United States 
     Information Agency into the State Department during the 
     Clinton Administration is identified as a major cause for 
     deficiencies in our public diplomacy efforts. The Council on 
     Foreign Relations has offered recommendations to the State 
     Department to fix our public diplomacy, but these will 
     require time and funding to implement.
       The State Department already has the means to improve our 
     public diplomacy outreach to the world. For example, the 
     State Department should make certain that ambassadors and 
     foreign service officers are fully briefed on the State 
     Department's public diplomacy strategic plan before they are

[[Page S10927]]

     posted abroad. Also, it should be made clear that a major 
     part of their duties will be to assist the Secretary of State 
     in implementing the plan.
       Foreign service officers provide an immediate opportunity 
     for the U.S. to engage in effective public diplomacy. In 
     2008, the United States Advisory Commission on Public 
     Diplomacy issued a report entitled ``Getting the People Part 
     Right: A Report on the Human Resources Dimension of Public 
     Diplomacy.'' This report highlights the public diplomacy void 
     that has existed since 1999 when the United States 
     Information Agency was eliminated and its functions were 
     merged into the State Department. The report states that most 
     foreign service officers fail to grasp the importance of 
     public diplomacy, and at best, they merely pay lip service to 
     it. The report also discusses the lack of recruitment of U.S. 
     diplomats with the appropriate people skills for public 
     diplomacy. The report cites the need for more training for 
     our diplomats so that they might have the knowledge and the 
     skills to effectively interact with people from other 
     countries.
       Newly hired foreign service officers frequently work at 
     U.S. Consulates processing visa applications for persons 
     wishing to travel to the U.S. This is a high stress job and 
     it demands that they possess strong interpersonal skills. 
     While serving as the director of the Peace Corps program in 
     the Dominican Republic, I frequently heard anecdotes from 
     Dominicans who had received rude treatment when seeking visas 
     at the U.S. Consulate. While the visa application process 
     requires extensive screening, all visa applicants should 
     receive prompt and courteous service. U.S. diplomats who 
     engage in arrogant behavior towards visa applicants create 
     ill will and plant seeds of hatred towards America.
       Another aspect of public diplomacy that needs attention is 
     the manner in which officers of the Bureau of Customs and 
     Border Protection receive and process arriving international 
     visitors. Since the events of 2001, the work of Customs and 
     Border Protection officers has become more stressful and 
     challenging. While most officers perform well, there are some 
     who do not receive international visitors with courtesy. 
     Customs and Border Protection officers play a huge public 
     diplomacy role. When officers are surly, they offend 
     international visitors to the United States.
       The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection should 
     incorporate customer service training into its curriculum for 
     all personnel. When developing this training, it would be 
     wise to tap the experience of companies like the Disney 
     Corporation which has a track record of receiving throngs of 
     people with respect and courtesy. Courteous treatment upon 
     arrival in our Nation can pay dividends by promoting a 
     positive image of the United States.
       The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International 
     Development (USAID) can achieve immediate impact in public 
     diplomacy by requiring all contractors and grantees to 
     incorporate public diplomacy aspects into their work. USAID 
     utilizes many for-profit and not-for-profit organizations to 
     provide services in areas such as democracy, economic 
     development, governance, health, public works, and rule of 
     law. All organizations that undertake work abroad on behalf 
     of USAID have an important public diplomacy responsibility.
       USAID should require grantees and contractors, whenever 
     feasible, to hire project managers who speak the language of 
     the country where they are working. Personnel working abroad 
     on USAID funded projects should undergo orientation training 
     about local culture and customs.
       International visitor programs play a key role in 
     successful public diplomacy. For nearly sixty years, the 
     State Department has funded visits by thousands of 
     international visitors to acquaint them with our country. 
     Often, these visitors eventually become leaders in their 
     countries. The President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, traveled 
     to the U.S. in 1985 on a State Department sponsored trip. 
     Today he is regarded as one of the most pro-U.S. leaders in 
     France.
       The State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
     Affairs funds most of the government sponsored international 
     visitor and scholarship programs. The bureau has rules in 
     place stipulating that prime contractors and grantees for 
     State Department funds must be in existence for a minimum of 
     four years. These rules stifle innovative programming by new 
     organizations and inhibit the ability of community based 
     groups beyond the Capital Beltway to access funding.
       For most international visitor programs, the State 
     Department contracts with the same large East Coast 
     organizations. These organizations rely on a patchwork of 
     community based groups across the U.S. to organize meaningful 
     professional, educational, and cultural programs for 
     international visitors. Unfortunately, these East Coast 
     organizations pass on very little, if any, funding to 
     communities that have agreed to receive international 
     visitors. Hosting of international visitors relies on local 
     volunteers and in-kind support. The lack of financial 
     resources at the local level results in a huge disparity in 
     the quality of programming that international visitors 
     receive.
       Some communities like Tulsa, Oklahoma do a superb job in 
     organizing and managing international visitor programs. Since 
     1995, the Tulsa Global Alliance has provided excellent 
     programs in this area. Tulsa has developed an organizational 
     model that relies on a mix of professional and volunteer 
     support. The Tulsa program has been successful in developing 
     a broad funding base that provides more than $400,000 per 
     year for international visitor activities. Funding comes from 
     corporations, individual donors, foundations, program fees, 
     and limited grants from the State Department.
       It is recommended that the State Department modify its 
     rules for funding international visitor programs. Contracts 
     for large organizations should require that they provide 
     grants of at least 25 percent of their total project budgets 
     to be passed on to international visitor committees at the 
     local level. This funding will help provide needed resources 
     to ensure that high quality programs are offered to 
     international visitors. The public diplomacy implications of 
     these international visitor programs are too important not to 
     have sufficient funding.
       The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the State 
     Department should give priority to funding small and newly 
     established organizations engaged in international visitor 
     programs. The Bureau should be encouraged to make available 
     up to 25 percent of its budget for international visitor 
     programs to small and newly established organizations. This 
     new approach would open the door for communities across 
     America to develop their own capacity to implement high 
     quality international visitor programs. The end goal would be 
     that each international visitor would have a fulfilling 
     experience in the U.S.
       The security of America and the future of our democracy 
     demand more commitment to public diplomacy. To keep America 
     safe and to protect our values, ideals, and principles, we 
     must build bridges of understanding with people across the 
     globe.

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