[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 131 (Saturday, September 28, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H5965-H5975]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENT OF STATE OPERATIONS AND EMBASSY SECURITY AUTHORIZATION ACT, 
                            FISCAL YEAR 2014

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2848) to authorize appropriations for the Department of State for 
fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2848

       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 as the ``Department of State 
     Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, Fiscal 
     Year 2014''.

     SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Appropriate congressional committees defined.

                TITLE I--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

Sec. 101. Administration of foreign affairs.
Sec. 102. Contributions to international organizations.
Sec. 103. Contributions for international peacekeeping activities.
Sec. 104. International commissions.
Sec. 105. National Endowment for Democracy.
Sec. 106. Prohibition on use of funds relating to Federal Acquisition 
              Regulation.
Sec. 107. Prohibition on use of funds relating to security and training 
              facility.

        TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF STATE AUTHORITIES AND ACTIVITIES

              Subtitle A--Basic Authorities and Activities

Sec. 201. Foreign Service Act of 1980.

[[Page H5966]]

Sec. 202. Center for strategic counterterrorism communications of the 
              Department of State.
Sec. 203. Anti-piracy information sharing.

           Subtitle B--Consular Services and Related Matters

Sec. 211. Extension of authority to assess passport surcharge.
Sec. 212. Authority to restrict passports.

                   Subtitle C--Reporting Requirements

Sec. 221. Reporting reform.

           TITLE III--ORGANIZATION AND PERSONNEL AUTHORITIES

Sec. 301. Suspension of foreign service members without pay.
Sec. 302. Repeal of recertification requirement for senior foreign 
              service.
Sec. 303. Limited appointments in the foreign service.
Sec. 304. Limitation of compensatory time off for travel.
Sec. 305. Department of State organization.
Sec. 306. Overseas comparability pay limitation.

          TITLE IV--EMBASSY SECURITY AND PERSONNEL PROTECTION

              Subtitle A--Review and Planning Requirements

Sec. 411. Designation of high risk, high threat posts and working 
              groups.
Sec. 412. Contingency plans for high risk, high threat posts.
Sec. 413. Strategic review of Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
Sec. 414. Revision of provisions relating to personnel recommendations 
              of Accountability Review Board.

        Subtitle B--Physical Security and Personnel Requirements

Sec. 421. Capital security cost sharing program.
Sec. 422. Local guard contracts abroad under diplomatic security 
              program.
Sec. 423. Transfer authority.
Sec. 424. Security enhancements for soft targets.
Sec. 425. Reemployment of annuitants.
Sec. 426. Sense of Congress regarding minimum security standards for 
              temporary United States diplomatic and consular posts.
Sec. 427. Assignment of personnel at high risk, high threat posts.
Sec. 428. Bureau of Diplomatic Security mobile biometric enrollment 
              program.

                     Subtitle C--Security Training

Sec. 431. Security training for personnel assigned to high risk, high 
              threat posts.
Sec. 432. Report to Congress.

  Subtitle D--Expansion of the Marine Corps Security Guard Detachment 
                                Program

Sec. 441. Marine Corps Security Guard Program.

     SEC. 3. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.

       Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee 
     on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

                TITLE I--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

     SEC. 101. ADMINISTRATION OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

       The following amounts are authorized to be appropriated for 
     the Department of State under ``Administration of Foreign 
     Affairs'' to carry out the authorities, functions, duties, 
     and responsibilities in the conduct of foreign affairs of the 
     United States, and for other purposes authorized by law:
       (1) Diplomatic and consular programs.--For ``Diplomatic and 
     Consular Programs'', $8,481,854,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (A) Bureau of democracy, human rights, and labor.--Of such 
     amounts, not less than $26,839,000 for fiscal year 2014 is 
     authorized to be appropriated for the Bureau of Democracy, 
     Human Rights and Labor.
       (B) Worldwide security protection.--Of such amounts, not 
     less than $2,182,135,000 for fiscal year 2014 is authorized 
     to be appropriated for worldwide security protection.
       (2) Capital investment fund.--For ``Capital Investment 
     Fund'', $76,900,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (3) Educational and cultural exchange programs.--For 
     ``Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs'', $535,000,000 
     for fiscal year 2014, of which funding for educational and 
     cultural programs that occur in countries or regions that are 
     at risk of, in, or are in transition from, conflict or civil 
     strife should be prioritized.
       (4) Conflict stabilization operations.--
       (A) In general.--For ``Conflict Stabilization Operations'', 
     $45,207,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (B) Transfer.--Subject to subparagraph (C) of this 
     paragraph, of the amount authorized to be appropriated 
     pursuant to paragraph (1), up to $35,000,000 is authorized to 
     be transferred to, and merged with, the amount specified in 
     subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
       (C) Notification.--If the Secretary of State exercises the 
     transfer authority described in subparagraph (B), the 
     Secretary shall notify the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
     the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and 
     the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
       (5) Representation allowances.--For ``Representation 
     Allowances'', $6,933,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (6) Protection of foreign missions and officials.--For 
     ``Protection of Foreign Missions and Officials'', $27,750,000 
     for fiscal year 2014.
       (7) Emergencies in the diplomatic and consular service.--
     For ``Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service'', 
     $9,073,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (8) Repatriation loans.--For ``Repatriation Loans'', 
     $1,374,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (9) Payment to the american institute in taiwan.--
       (A) In general.--For ``Payment to the American Institute in 
     Taiwan'', $21,778,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (B) Transfer.--Subject to subparagraph (C) of this 
     paragraph, of the amount authorized to be appropriated 
     pursuant to paragraph (1), up to $15,300,000 is authorized to 
     be transferred to, and merged with, the amount specified in 
     subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
       (C) Notification.--If the Secretary of State exercises the 
     transfer authority described in subparagraph (B), the 
     Secretary shall notify the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
     the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and 
     the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
       (10) Office of the inspector general.--For ``Office of the 
     Inspector General'', $119,056,000 for fiscal year 2014, 
     including for the Special Inspector General for Iraq 
     Reconstruction and the Special Inspector General for 
     Afghanistan Reconstruction, notwithstanding section 209(a)(1) 
     of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3929(a)(1)) as 
     such section relates to the inspection of the administration 
     of activities and operations of each Foreign Service post.
       (11) International chancery center.--For ``International 
     Chancery Center (ICC)'', $5,450,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (12) Embassy security, construction and maintenance.--For 
     ``Embassy Security, Construction and Maintenance'', 
     $2,649,351,000 for fiscal year 2014.

     SEC. 102. CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated for ``Contributions 
     to International Organizations'', $1,400,000,000 for fiscal 
     year 2014, for the Department of State to carry out the 
     authorities, functions, duties, and responsibilities in the 
     conduct of the foreign affairs of the United States with 
     respect to international organizations and to carry out other 
     authorities in law consistent with such purposes. The 
     Secretary shall notify the appropriate congressional 
     committees not less than fifteen days prior to obligating 
     funds authorized under this section to implement or establish 
     any principle commission or organization required by a treaty 
     that has not been ratified by the Senate.

     SEC. 103. CONTRIBUTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING 
                   ACTIVITIES.

       There are authorized to be appropriated for ``Contributions 
     for International Peacekeeping Activities'', $1,942,000,000 
     for fiscal year 2014 for the Department of State to carry out 
     the authorities, functions, duties, and responsibilities of 
     the United States with respect to international peacekeeping 
     activities and to carry out other authorities in law 
     consistent with such purposes, except that such amounts may 
     not be used to support any United Nations Unmanned Aerial 
     Systems (drone) activities or missions operating in United 
     States airspace, including United States territories and 
     possessions. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     funds authorized to be appropriated under this section are 
     authorized to remain available until September 30, 2015.

     SEC. 104. INTERNATIONAL COMMISSIONS.

       The following amounts are authorized to be appropriated 
     under ``International Commissions'' for the Department of 
     State to carry out the authorities, functions, duties, and 
     responsibilities in the conduct of the foreign affairs of the 
     United States and for other purposes authorized by law:
       (1) International boundary and water commission, united 
     states and mexico.--For ``International Boundary and Water 
     Commission, United States and Mexico''--
       (A) for ``Salaries and Expenses'', $44,722,000 for fiscal 
     year 2014; and
       (B) for ``Construction'', $31,400,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (2) International boundary commission, united states and 
     canada.--For ``International Boundary Commission, United 
     States and Canada'', $2,449,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (3) International joint commission.--For ``International 
     Joint Commission'', $7,012,000 for fiscal year 2014.
       (4) International fisheries commissions.--For 
     ``International Fisheries Commissions'', $31,445,000 for 
     fiscal year 2014.
       (5) Border environment cooperation commission.--For 
     ``Border Environment Cooperation Commission'', $2,386,000 for 
     fiscal year 2014.

     SEC. 105. NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY.

       There are authorized to be appropriated for the ``National 
     Endowment for Democracy'' for authorized activities 
     $117,764,000 for fiscal year 2014.

     SEC. 106. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS RELATING TO FEDERAL 
                   ACQUISITION REGULATION.

       No funds under this Act are authorized to be appropriated 
     to enter into a contract with

[[Page H5967]]

     any offeror or any of its principals if the offeror 
     certifies, pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, 
     that the offeror or any of its principals--
       (1) within a three-year period preceding this offer has 
     been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against it 
     for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection 
     with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public 
     (Federal, State, or local) contract or subcontract; violation 
     of Federal or State antitrust statutes relating to the 
     submission of offers; or commission of embezzlement, theft, 
     forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, 
     making false statements, tax evasion, violating Federal 
     criminal tax laws, or receiving stolen property; or
       (2) are presently indicted for, or otherwise criminally or 
     civilly charged by a governmental entity with, commission of 
     any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (1); or
       (3) within a three-year period preceding this offer, has 
     been notified of any delinquent Federal taxes in an amount 
     that exceeds $3,000 for which the liability remains 
     unsatisfied.

     SEC. 107. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS RELATING TO SECURITY 
                   AND TRAINING FACILITY.

       No funds under this Act are authorized to be appropriated 
     for any new Department of State security and training 
     facility, including the proposed Foreign Affairs Security 
     Training Center, for which there is not a completed, 
     independent feasibility study that has been provided to the 
     appropriate congressional committees, verifying that safety 
     and security training for all Department personnel who 
     require such training cannot reasonably be provided at the 
     existing Federal Law Enforcement Training Facility.

        TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF STATE AUTHORITIES AND ACTIVITIES

              Subtitle A--Basic Authorities and Activities

     SEC. 201. FOREIGN SERVICE ACT OF 1980.

       Section 501 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
     3981) is amended by inserting ``If a position designated 
     under this section is unfilled for more than one single 
     assignment cycle, such position shall be filled, as 
     appropriate, on a temporary basis, in accordance with section 
     303 or 309.'' after ``Positions designated under this section 
     are excepted from the competitive service.''.

     SEC. 202. CENTER FOR STRATEGIC COUNTERTERRORISM 
                   COMMUNICATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

       (a) Statement of Policy.--As articulated in Executive Order 
     13584, issued on September 9, 2011, it is the policy of the 
     United States to actively counter the actions and ideologies 
     of al-Qa'ida, its affiliates and adherents, other terrorist 
     organizations, and violent extremists overseas that threaten 
     the interests and national security of the United States.
       (b) Establishment of Center for Strategic Counterterrorism 
     Communications.--There is authorized to be established within 
     the Department of State, under the direction of the Secretary 
     of State, the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism 
     Communications (in this section referred to as the ``CSCC'').
       (c) Mission.--The CSCC may coordinate, orient, and inform 
     Government-wide public communications activities directed at 
     audiences abroad and targeted against violent extremists and 
     terrorist organizations, especially al-Qa'ida and its 
     affiliates and adherents.
       (d) Coordinator of the Center for Strategic 
     Counterterrorism Communications.--The head of the CSCC should 
     be the Coordinator. The Coordinator of the CSCC should--
       (1) report to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and 
     Public Affairs; and
       (2) collaborate with the Bureau of Counterterrorism of the 
     Department of State, other Department bureaus, and other 
     United States Government agencies.
       (e) Duties.--The CSCC may--
       (1) monitor and evaluate extremist narratives and events 
     abroad that are relevant to the development of a United 
     States strategic counterterrorism narrative designed to 
     counter violent extremism and terrorism that threaten the 
     interests and national security of the United States;
       (2) develop and promulgate for use throughout the executive 
     branch the United States strategic counterterrorism narrative 
     developed in accordance with paragraph (1), and public 
     communications strategies to counter the messaging of violent 
     extremists and terrorist organizations, especially al-Qa'ida 
     and its affiliates and adherents;
       (3) identify current and emerging trends in extremist 
     communications and communications by al-Qa'ida and its 
     affiliates and adherents in order to coordinate and provide 
     guidance to the United States Government regarding how best 
     to proactively promote the United States strategic 
     counterterrorism narrative developed in accordance with 
     paragraph (1) and related policies, and to respond to and 
     rebut extremist messaging and narratives when communicating 
     to audiences outside the United States;
       (4) facilitate the use of a wide range of communications 
     technologies by sharing expertise and best practices among 
     United States Government and non-Government sources;
       (5) identify and request relevant information from United 
     States Government agencies, including intelligence reporting, 
     data, and analysis;
       (6) identify shortfalls in United States capabilities in 
     any areas relevant to the CSCC's mission, and recommend 
     necessary enhancements or changes; and
       (7) establish measurable goals, performance metrics, and 
     monitoring and evaluation plans to focus on learning, 
     accountability, and policymaking.
       (f) Steering Committee.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of State may establish a 
     Steering Committee composed of senior representatives of 
     United States Government agencies relevant to the CSCC's 
     mission to provide advice to the Secretary on the operations 
     and strategic orientation of the CSCC and to ensure adequate 
     support for the CSCC.
       (2) Meetings.--The Steering Committee should meet not less 
     often than once every six months.
       (3) Leadership.--The Steering Committee should be chaired 
     by the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. The 
     Coordinator for Counterterrorism of the Department of State 
     should serve as Vice Chair. The Coordinator of the CSCC 
     should serve as Executive Secretary.
       (4) Composition.--
       (A) In general.--The Steering Committee may include one 
     senior representative designated by the head of each of the 
     following agencies:
       (i) The Department of Defense.
       (ii) The Department of Justice.
       (iii) The Department of Homeland Security.
       (iv) The Department of the Treasury.
       (v) The National Counterterrorism Center of the Office of 
     the Director of National Intelligence.
       (vi) The Joint Chiefs of Staff.
       (vii) The Counterterrorism Center of the Central 
     Intelligence Agency.
       (viii) The Broadcasting Board of Governors.
       (ix) The Agency for International Development.
       (B) Additional representation.--Representatives from United 
     States Government agencies not specified in subparagraph (A) 
     may be invited to participate in the Steering Committee at 
     the discretion of the Chair.

     SEC. 203. ANTI-PIRACY INFORMATION SHARING.

       The Secretary of State is authorized to provide for the 
     participation by the United States in the Information Sharing 
     Centre located in Singapore, as established by the Regional 
     Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery 
     against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).

           Subtitle B--Consular Services and Related Matters

     SEC. 211. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO ASSESS PASSPORT 
                   SURCHARGE.

       Paragraph (2) of section 1(b) of the Act of June 4, 1920 
     (41 Stat. 750; chapter 223; 22 U.S.C. 214(b)), is amended by 
     striking ``2010'' and inserting ``2016''.

     SEC. 212. AUTHORITY TO RESTRICT PASSPORTS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of State is authorized to--
       (1) limit to one year or such period of time as the 
     Secretary of State shall determine appropriate the period of 
     validity of a passport issued to a sex offender; and
       (2) revoke the passport or passport card of an individual 
     who has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction 
     in a foreign country of a sex offense.
       (b) Limitation for Return to United States.--
     Notwithstanding subsection (a), in no case shall a United 
     States citizen convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction 
     in a foreign country of a sex offense be precluded from 
     entering the United States due to a passport revocation under 
     such subsection.
       (c) Reapplication.--An individual whose passport or 
     passport card was revoked pursuant to subsection (a)(2) may 
     reapply for a passport or passport card at any time after 
     such individual has returned to the United States.
       (d) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
       (1) Sex offender.--The term ``sex offender'' means an 
     individual who is listed on the National Sex Offender 
     Registry established pursuant to section 119 of the Sex 
     Offender Registration and Notification Act (42 U.S.C. 16915).
       (2) Sex offense.--The term ``sex offense'' means a sex 
     offense as defined in section 111(5) of the Sex Offender 
     Registration and Notification Act (42 U.S.C. 16915).

                   Subtitle C--Reporting Requirements

     SEC. 221. REPORTING REFORM.

       (a) In General.--The following provisions of law are 
     repealed:
       (1) Subsections (c)(4) and (c)(5) of section 601 of Public 
     Law 96-465.
       (2) Section 585 of Public Law 104-208.
       (3) Subsections (b) and (c) of section 11 of Public Law 
     107-245.
       (4) Section 181 of Public Law 102-138.
       (5) Section 1012(c) of Public Law 103-337.
       (6) Section 527(f) of Public Law 103-236.
       (7) Section 304(f) of Public Law 107-173.
       (8) Subsections (a) and (b) of section 4 of Public Law 79-
     264.
       (9) Sections 3203 and 3204(f) of Public Law 106-246.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 11 of Public Law 107-245 
     is amended by striking ``(a) In General.--''.
       (c) Report on United States Contributions to the United 
     Nations.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the 
     Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall submit 
     to Congress a report on all assessed and voluntary 
     contributions, including in-kind,

[[Page H5968]]

     of the United States Government to the United Nations and its 
     affiliated agencies and related bodies during the previous 
     fiscal year.
       (2) Content.--Each report required under subsection (a) 
     shall include the following elements:
       (A) The total amount of all assessed and voluntary 
     contributions, including in-kind, of the United States 
     Government to the United Nations and its affiliated agencies 
     and related bodies during the previous fiscal year.
       (B) The approximate percentage of United States Government 
     contributions to each United Nations affiliated agency or 
     related body in such fiscal year when compared with all 
     contributions to each such agency or body from any source in 
     such fiscal year.
       (C) For each such United States Government contribution--
       (i) the amount of the contribution;
       (ii) a description of the contribution (including whether 
     assessed or voluntary);
       (iii) the department or agency of the United States 
     Government responsible for the contribution;
       (iv) the purpose of the contribution; and
       (v) the United Nations or its affiliated agency or related 
     body receiving the contribution.
       (3) Scope of initial report.--The first report required 
     under this subsection shall include the information required 
     under this section for the previous three fiscal years.
       (4) Public availability of information.--Not later than 14 
     days after submitting a report under this subsection, the 
     Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall post a 
     public version of such report on a text-based, searchable, 
     and publicly available Internet Web site.

           TITLE III--ORGANIZATION AND PERSONNEL AUTHORITIES

     SEC. 301. SUSPENSION OF FOREIGN SERVICE MEMBERS WITHOUT PAY.

       (a) Suspension.--Section 610 of the Foreign Service Act of 
     1980 (22 U.S.C. 4010) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subsection:
       ``(c)(1) In order to promote the efficiency of the Service, 
     the Secretary may suspend a member of the Foreign Service 
     without pay when the member's security clearance is suspended 
     or when there is reasonable cause to believe that the member 
     has committed a crime for which a sentence of imprisonment 
     may be imposed.
       ``(2) Any member of the Foreign Service for whom a 
     suspension is proposed in accordance with paragraph (1) shall 
     be entitled to--
       ``(A) written notice stating the specific reasons for the 
     proposed suspension;
       ``(B) a period of not less than 30 days after receipt of 
     any notice under subparagraph (A) to respond orally and in 
     writing to the proposed suspension, which period may be 
     extended upon a showing of good cause;
       ``(C) representation by an attorney or other 
     representative; and
       ``(D) a final written decision, including the specific 
     reasons for such decision, as soon as practicable.
       ``(3) Any member suspended under this section may file a 
     grievance in accordance with the procedures applicable to 
     grievances under chapter 11.
       ``(4) In the case of a grievance filed under paragraph 
     (3)--
       ``(A) the review by the Foreign Service Grievance Board 
     shall be limited to a determination of whether the provisions 
     of paragraphs (1) and (2) have been fulfilled; and
       ``(B) the Foreign Service Grievance Board may not exercise 
     the authority provided under section 1106(8).
       ``(5) In this subsection:
       ``(A) The term `reasonable cause to believe a member has 
     committed a crime' means the member has been indicted by a 
     grand jury.
       ``(B) The term `suspend' or `suspension' means the placing 
     of a member of the Foreign Service in a temporary status 
     without duties and pay.''.
       (b) Conforming and Clerical Amendments.--
       (1) Amendment of section heading.--Section 610 of the 
     Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended by subsection (a) of 
     this section, is further amended, in the section heading, by 
     inserting ``; Suspension'' before the period at the end.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The item relating to section 610 
     in the table of contents in section 2 of the Foreign Service 
     Act of 1980 is amended to read as follows:

``Sec. 610. Separation for cause; suspension.''.

     SEC. 302. REPEAL OF RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR SENIOR 
                   FOREIGN SERVICE.

       Subsection (d) of section 305 of the Foreign Service Act of 
     1980 (22 U.S.C. 3945) is repealed.

     SEC. 303. LIMITED APPOINTMENTS IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE.

       Section 309 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
     3949) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``subsection (b)'' and 
     inserting ``subsection (b) or (c)'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (3)--
       (i) by inserting ``(A),'' after ``if''; and
       (ii) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the 
     following: ``, or (B), the career candidate is serving in the 
     uniformed services, as defined by the Uniformed Services 
     Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (38 U.S.C. 
     4301 et seq.), and the limited appointment expires in the 
     course of such service'';
       (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (C) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (D) by adding after paragraph (5) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(6) in exceptional circumstances where the Secretary 
     determines the needs of the Service require the extension of 
     a limited appointment, (A), for a period of time not to 
     exceed 12 months (if such period of time does not permit 
     additional review by boards under section 306), or (B), for 
     the minimum time needed to settle a grievance, claim, or 
     complaint not otherwise provided for in this section.''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(c) Non-career Foreign Service employees who have served 
     five consecutive years under a limited appointment may be 
     reappointed to a subsequent limited appointment if there is a 
     one year break in service between each such appointment. The 
     Secretary may in cases of special need waive the requirement 
     for a one year break in service.''.

     SEC. 304. LIMITATION OF COMPENSATORY TIME OFF FOR TRAVEL.

       Section 5550b of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(c) The maximum amount of compensatory time off earned 
     under this section may not exceed 104 hours during any leave 
     year (as defined by regulations established by the Office of 
     Personnel Management).''.

     SEC. 305. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ORGANIZATION.

       The Secretary of State may, after consultation with the 
     appropriate congressional committees, transfer to such other 
     officials or offices of the Department of State as the 
     Secretary may determine from time to time any authority, 
     duty, or function assigned by statute to the Coordinator for 
     Counterterrorism, the Coordinator for Reconstruction and 
     Stabilization, or the Coordinator for International Energy 
     Affairs.

     SEC. 306. OVERSEAS COMPARABILITY PAY LIMITATION.

       (a) In General.--Subject to the limitation described in 
     subsection (b), the authority provided by section 1113 of the 
     Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 111-32; 123 
     Stat. 1904), shall remain in effect through September 30, 
     2014.
       (b) Limitation.--The authority described in subsection (a) 
     may not be used to pay an eligible member of the Foreign 
     Service (as defined in section 1113(b) of the Supplemental 
     Appropriations Act, 2009) a locality-based comparability 
     payment (stated as a percentage) that exceeds two-thirds of 
     the amount of the locality-based comparability payment 
     (stated as a percentage) that would be payable to such member 
     under section 5304 of title 5, United States Code, if such 
     member's official duty station were in the District of 
     Columbia.

          TITLE IV--EMBASSY SECURITY AND PERSONNEL PROTECTION

              Subtitle A--Review and Planning Requirements

     SEC. 411. DESIGNATION OF HIGH RISK, HIGH THREAT POSTS AND 
                   WORKING GROUPS.

       (a) In General.--Title I of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security 
     and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (22 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.; 
     relating to diplomatic security) is amended by inserting 
     after section 103 the following new sections:

     ``SEC. 104. DESIGNATION OF HIGH RISK, HIGH THREAT POSTS.

       ``(a) Initial Designation.--Not later than 30 days after 
     the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 
     shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
     report, in classified form, that contains an initial list of 
     diplomatic and consular posts designated as high risk, high 
     threat posts.
       ``(b) Designations Before Opening or Reopening Posts.--
     Before opening or reopening a diplomatic or consular post, 
     the Secretary shall determine if such post should be 
     designated as a high risk, high threat post.
       ``(c) Designating Existing Posts.--The Secretary shall 
     regularly review existing diplomatic and consular posts to 
     determine if any such post should be designated as a high 
     risk, high threat post if conditions at such post or the 
     surrounding security environment require such a designation.
       ``(d) Definitions.--In this section and section 105:
       ``(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     `appropriate congressional committees' means the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
       ``(2) High risk, high threat post.--The term `high risk, 
     high threat post' means a United States diplomatic or 
     consular post, as determined by the Secretary, that, among 
     other factors, is--
       ``(A) located in a country--
       ``(i) with high to critical levels of political violence 
     and terrorism; and
       ``(ii) the government of which lacks the ability or 
     willingness to provide adequate security; and
       ``(B) with mission physical security platforms that fall 
     below the Department of State's established standards.

     ``SEC. 105. WORKING GROUPS FOR HIGH RISK, HIGH THREAT POSTS.

       ``(a) Establishment.--Before opening or reopening a high 
     risk, high threat post, the Secretary shall establish a 
     working group

[[Page H5969]]

     that is responsible for the geographic area in which such 
     post is to be opened or reopened.
       ``(b) Duties.--The duties of the working group established 
     in accordance with subsection (a) shall include--
       ``(1) evaluating the importance and appropriateness of the 
     objectives of the proposed post to the national security of 
     the United States, and the type and level of security threats 
     such post could encounter;
       ``(2) completing working plans to expedite the approval and 
     funding for establishing and operating such post, 
     implementing physical security measures, providing necessary 
     security and management personnel, and the provision of 
     necessary equipment;
       ``(3) establishing security `tripwires' that would 
     determine specific action, including enhanced security 
     measures or evacuation of such post, based on the improvement 
     or deterioration of the local security environment; and
       ``(4) identifying and reporting any costs that may be 
     associated with opening or reopening such post.
       ``(c) Composition.--The working group should be composed of 
     representatives of the--
       ``(1) appropriate regional bureau;
       ``(2) Bureau of Diplomatic Security;
       ``(3) Bureau of Overseas Building Operations;
       ``(4) Bureau of Intelligence and Research; and
       ``(5) other bureaus or offices as determined by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(d) Congressional Notification.--Not less than 30 days 
     before opening or reopening a high risk, high threat post, 
     the Secretary shall notify the appropriate congressional 
     committees in classified form of--
       ``(1) the decision to open or reopen such post; and
       ``(2) the results of the working group under subsection 
     (b).''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents of the 
     Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 is 
     amended by inserting after the item relating to section 103 
     the following new items:

``Sec. 104. Designation of high risk, high threat posts.
``Sec. 105. Working groups for high risk, high threat posts.''.

     SEC. 412. CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR HIGH RISK, HIGH THREAT POSTS.

       Section 606(a) of the Secure Embassy Construction and 
     Counterterrorism Act of 1999 (22 U.S.C. 4865(a); relating to 
     diplomatic security) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)(A)--
       (A) by inserting ``and from complex attacks (as such term 
     is defined in section 416 of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security 
     and Antiterrorism Act of 1986),'' after ``attacks from 
     vehicles''; and
       (B) by inserting ``or such a complex attack'' before the 
     period at the end;
       (2) in paragraph (7), by inserting before the period at the 
     end the following: ``, including at high risk, high threat 
     posts (as such term is defined in section 104 of the Omnibus 
     Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986), including 
     options for the deployment of additional military personnel 
     or equipment to bolster security and rapid deployment of 
     armed or surveillance assets in response to an attack''.

     SEC. 413. STRATEGIC REVIEW OF BUREAU OF DIPLOMATIC SECURITY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall complete a 
     strategic review of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security of the 
     Department of State to ensure that the mission and activities 
     of the Bureau are fulfilling the current and projected needs 
     of the Department of State.
       (b) Contents of Review.--The strategic review described in 
     subsection (a) shall include assessments of--
       (1) staffing needs for both domestic and international 
     operations;
       (2) facilities under chief of mission authority adhering to 
     security standards;
       (3) security personnel with the necessary language skills 
     for assignment to overseas posts;
       (4) programs being carried out by personnel with the 
     necessary experience and at commensurate grade levels;
       (5) necessary security training provided to personnel under 
     chief of mission authority for expected assignments and 
     objectives;
       (6) balancing security needs with an ability to carry out 
     the diplomatic mission of the Department of State;
       (7) the budgetary implications of balancing multiple 
     missions; and
       (8) how to resolve any identified deficiencies in the 
     mission or activities of the Bureau.

     SEC. 414. REVISION OF PROVISIONS RELATING TO PERSONNEL 
                   RECOMMENDATIONS OF ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW BOARD.

       (a) In General.--Section 304(c) of the Diplomatic Security 
     Act (22 U.S.C. 4834(c)) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
       (A) by striking ``Whenever'' and inserting ``If''; and
       (B) by striking ``has breached the duty of that 
     individual'' and inserting ``has engaged in misconduct or 
     unsatisfactorily performed the duties of employment of that 
     individual, and such misconduct or unsatisfactory performance 
     has significantly contributed to the serious injury, loss of 
     life, or significant destruction of property, or the serious 
     breach of security that is the subject of the Board's 
     examination as described in subsection (a)'';
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``finding'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``findings''; and
       (3) in the matter following paragraph (3)--
       (A) by striking ``has breached a duty of that individual'' 
     and inserting ``has engaged in misconduct or unsatisfactorily 
     performed the duties of employment of that individual''; and
       (B) by striking ``to the performance of the duties of that 
     individual''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to any case of an Accountability 
     Review Board that is convened under section 301 of the 
     Diplomatic Security Act (22 U.S.C. 4831) on or after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.

        Subtitle B--Physical Security and Personnel Requirements

     SEC. 421. CAPITAL SECURITY COST SHARING PROGRAM.

       (a) Sense of Congress on the Capital Security Cost Sharing 
     Program.--It is the sense of Congress that the Capital 
     Security Cost Sharing Program should prioritize the 
     construction of new facilities and the maintenance of 
     existing facilities at high risk, high threat posts.
       (b) Restriction on Construction of Office Space.--Section 
     604(e)(2) of the Secure Embassy Construction and 
     Counterterrorism Act of 1999 (title VI of division A of H.R. 
     3427, as enacted into law by section 1000(a)(7) of Public Law 
     106-113; 113 Stat. 1501A-453; 22 U.S.C. 4865 note) is amended 
     by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``A project 
     to construct a diplomatic facility of the United States may 
     not include office space or other accommodations for an 
     employee of a Federal department or agency if the Secretary 
     of State determines that such department or agency has not 
     provided to the Department of State the full amount of 
     funding required by paragraph (1), except that such project 
     may include office space or other accommodations for members 
     of the United States Marine Corps.''.

     SEC. 422. LOCAL GUARD CONTRACTS ABROAD UNDER DIPLOMATIC 
                   SECURITY PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 136 of the Foreign Relations 
     Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (22 U.S.C. 
     4864) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (c)--
       (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``With respect'' and inserting ``Except as provided in 
     subsection (d), with respect''; and
       (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``subsection (d)'' and 
     inserting ``subsection (e)'';
       (2) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), (f), and (g) as 
     subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h), respectively; and
       (3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(d) Award of Local Guard and Protective Service Contracts 
     for High Risk, High Threat Posts.--With respect to any local 
     guard contract for a high risk, high threat post (as such 
     term is defined in section 104 of the Omnibus Diplomatic 
     Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986) that is entered into 
     after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the 
     Secretary of State--
       ``(1) shall comply with paragraphs (1), (2), (4), (5), and 
     (6) of subsection (c) in the award of such contract;
       ``(2) after evaluating proposals for such contract, may 
     award such contract to the firm representing the best value 
     to the Government in accordance with the best value tradeoff 
     process described in subpart 15.1 of the Federal Acquisition 
     Regulation (48 C.F.R. 6 15.101-1); and
       ``(3) shall ensure that contractor personnel under such 
     contract providing local guard or protective services are 
     classified--
       ``(A) as employees of the contractor;
       ``(B) if the contractor is a joint venture, as employees of 
     one of the persons or parties constituting the joint venture; 
     or
       ``(C) as employees of a subcontractor to the contractor, 
     and not as independent contractors to the contractor or any 
     other entity performing under such contracts.''.
       (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to 
     the appropriate congressional committees a report that 
     includes--
       (1) an explanation of the implementation of subsection (d) 
     of section 136 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 
     Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991, as amended by subsection (a)(3) 
     of this section; and
       (2) for each instance in which an award is made pursuant to 
     such subsection (d) of such section 136, a written 
     justification providing the basis for such award and an 
     explanation of the inability to satisfy the needs of the 
     Department of State by technically acceptable, lowest price 
     evaluation award.

     SEC. 423. TRANSFER AUTHORITY.

       Section 4 of the Foreign Service Buildings Act, 1926 (22 
     U.S.C. 295) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(j)(1) In addition to exercising any other transfer 
     authority available to the Secretary of State, and subject to 
     paragraphs (2) and (3), the Secretary may transfer to, and 
     merge with, any appropriation for embassy security, 
     construction, and maintenance such amounts appropriated for 
     fiscal year 2014 for any other purpose related to the 
     administration of foreign affairs on or after October 1, 
     2013, if the Secretary determines such transfer is necessary 
     to provide for the security of sites and buildings in foreign 
     countries under the jurisdiction and control of the 
     Secretary.

[[Page H5970]]

       ``(2) Any funds transferred pursuant to paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) shall not exceed 20 percent of any appropriation made 
     available for fiscal year 2014 for the Department of State 
     under the heading `Administration of Foreign Affairs', and no 
     such appropriation shall be increased by more than 10 percent 
     by any such transfer; and
       ``(B) shall be merged with funds in the heading to which 
     transferred, and shall be available subject to the same terms 
     and conditions as the funds with which merged.
       ``(3) Not later than 15 days before any transfer of funds 
     pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall 
     notify in writing the Committees on Foreign Relations and 
     Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Foreign 
     Affairs and Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 
     Any such notification shall include a description of the 
     particular security need necessitating the transfer at 
     issue.''.

     SEC. 424. SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS FOR SOFT TARGETS.

       Section 29 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
     1956 (22 U.S.C. 2701) is amended, in the third sentence, by 
     inserting ``physical security enhancements and'' after ``may 
     include''.

     SEC. 425. REEMPLOYMENT OF ANNUITANTS.

       Section 824(g) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 
     U.S.C. 4064(g)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) in subparagraph (B)--
       (i) by striking ``to facilitate the'' and all that follows 
     through ``Afghanistan,''; and
       (ii) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the 
     following: ``and, when after an exhaustive, open, and 
     competitive search, no qualified, full-time, current 
     employees (including members of the Civil Service) of the 
     Department of State have been identified''; and
       (B) by moving subparagraph (C) two ems to the left; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``2010'' and inserting 
     ``2018''; and
       (B) in subparagraphs (B) and (C), by striking ``2009'' and 
     inserting ``2018'' each place it appears.

     SEC. 426. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING MINIMUM SECURITY 
                   STANDARDS FOR TEMPORARY UNITED STATES 
                   DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Overseas Security Policy Board's security standards 
     for United States diplomatic and consular posts should apply 
     to all such posts regardless of the duration of their 
     occupancy; and
       (2) such posts should comply with requirements for 
     attaining a waiver or exception to applicable standards if it 
     is in the national interest of the United States as 
     determined by the Secretary of State.

     SEC. 427. ASSIGNMENT OF PERSONNEL AT HIGH RISK, HIGH THREAT 
                   POSTS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall station key 
     personnel for sustained periods of time at high risk, high 
     threat posts (as such term is defined in section 104 of the 
     Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986, as 
     added by section 411 of this Act) in order to--
       (1) establish institutional knowledge and situational 
     awareness that would allow for a fuller familiarization of 
     the local political and security environment in which such 
     posts are located; and
       (2) ensure that necessary security procedures are 
     implemented.
       (b) Quarterly Briefings.--The Secretary of State shall 
     quarterly brief the appropriate congressional committees on 
     the personnel staffing and rotation cycles at high risk, high 
     threat posts.

     SEC. 428. BUREAU OF DIPLOMATIC SECURITY MOBILE BIOMETRIC 
                   ENROLLMENT PROGRAM.

       Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of State shall brief the appropriate 
     congressional committees regarding the mobile biometric 
     enrollment program of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security that 
     includes the following:
       (1) An overview of the mobile biometric enrollment program 
     and the Department of State's use of biometric technologies 
     to secure access to United States diplomatic and consular 
     posts.
       (2) An assessment of the effectiveness and uses of such 
     biometric technologies.
       (3) An assessment of the costs, benefits, and 
     implementation time that would be involved in extending the 
     mobile biometric enrollment program initially to all high 
     risk, high threat posts (as such term is defined in section 
     104 of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act 
     of 1986, as added by section 411 of this Act), and then to 
     all remaining diplomatic and consular posts.

                     Subtitle C--Security Training

     SEC. 431. SECURITY TRAINING FOR PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO HIGH 
                   RISK, HIGH THREAT POSTS.

       (a) In General.--Title IV of the Omnibus Diplomatic 
     Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (22 U.S.C. 4851 et 
     seq.; relating to diplomatic security) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following new sections:

     ``SEC. 416. SECURITY TRAINING FOR PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO A 
                   HIGH RISK, HIGH THREAT POST.

       ``(a) In General.--Individuals assigned permanently to or 
     who are in long-term temporary duty status as designated by 
     the Secretary at a high risk, high threat post shall receive 
     security training described in subsection (b) on a mandatory 
     basis in order to prepare such individuals for living and 
     working at such posts.
       ``(b) Security Training Described.--Security training 
     referred to in subsection (a)--
       ``(1) is training to improve basic knowledge and skills; 
     and
       ``(2) may include--
       ``(A) an ability to recognize, avoid, and respond to 
     potential terrorist situations, including a complex attack;
       ``(B) conducting surveillance detection;
       ``(C) providing emergency medical care;
       ``(D) ability to detect the presence of improvised 
     explosive devices;
       ``(E) minimal firearms familiarization; and
       ``(F) defensive driving maneuvers.
       ``(c) Effective Date.--The requirements of this section 
     shall take effect upon the date of the enactment of this 
     section.
       ``(d) Definitions.--In this section and sections 417 and 
     418:
       ``(1) Complex attack.--The term `complex attack' has the 
     meaning given such term by the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization as follows: `An attack conducted by multiple 
     hostile elements which employ at least two distinct classes 
     of weapon systems (i.e., indirect fire and direct fire, 
     improvised explosive devices, and surface to air fire).'.
       ``(2) High risk, high threat post.--The term `high risk, 
     high threat post' has the meaning given such term in section 
     104.

     ``SEC. 417. SECURITY MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR OFFICIALS 
                   ASSIGNED TO A HIGH RISK, HIGH THREAT POST.

       ``(a) In General.--Officials described in subsection (c) 
     who are assigned to a high risk, high threat post shall 
     receive security training described in subsection (b) on a 
     mandatory basis in order to improve the ability of such 
     officials to make security-related management decisions.
       ``(b) Security Training Described.--Security training 
     referred to in subsection (a) may include--
       ``(1) development of skills to better evaluate threats;
       ``(2) effective use of security resources to mitigate such 
     threats; and
       ``(3) improved familiarity of available security resources.
       ``(c) Officials Described.--Officials referred to in 
     subsection (a) are--
       ``(1) members of the Senior Foreign Service appointed under 
     section 302(a)(1) or 303 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 
     (22 U.S.C. 3942(a)(1) and 3943) or members of the Senior 
     Executive Service (as such term is described in section 
     3132(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code);
       ``(2) Foreign Service officers appointed under section 
     302(a)(1) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
     3942(a)(1)) holding a position in classes FS-1, FS-2, or FS-
     3;
       ``(3) Foreign Service Specialists appointed by the 
     Secretary under section 303 of the Foreign Service Act of 
     1980 (22 U.S.C. 3943) holding a position in classes FS-1, FS-
     2, or FS-3; and
       ``(4) individuals holding a position in grades GS-13, GS-
     14, or GS-15.
       ``(d) Effective Date.--The requirements of this section 
     shall take effect beginning on the date that is one year 
     after the date of the enactment of this section.

     ``SEC. 418. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR DIPLOMATIC SECURITY 
                   PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO HIGH RISK, HIGH THREAT 
                   POST.

       ``(a) In General.--Diplomatic security personnel assigned 
     permanently to or who are in long-term temporary duty status 
     as designated by the Secretary at a high risk, high threat 
     post should receive language training described in subsection 
     (b) in order to prepare such personnel for duty requirements 
     at such post.
       ``(b) Language Training Described.--Language training 
     referred to in subsection (a) should prepare personnel 
     described in such subsection to--
       ``(1) speak the language at issue with sufficient 
     structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively 
     in most formal and informal conversations on subjects germane 
     to security; and
       ``(2) read within an adequate range of speed and with 
     almost complete comprehension on subjects germane to 
     security.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents of the 
     Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 is 
     amended by inserting after the item relating to section 415 
     the following new items:

``Sec. 416. Security training for personnel assigned to a high risk, 
              high threat post.
``Sec. 417. Security management training for officials assigned to a 
              high risk, high threat post.
``Sec. 418. Language requirements for diplomatic security personnel 
              assigned to high risk, high threat post.''.

     SEC. 432. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

       Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
     implementation of this subtitle.

  Subtitle D--Expansion of the Marine Corps Security Guard Detachment 
                                Program

     SEC. 441. MARINE CORPS SECURITY GUARD PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Pursuant to the responsibility of the 
     Secretary of State for diplomatic security under section 103 
     of the Diplomatic Security Act (22 U.S.C. 4802; enacted as 
     part of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act 
     of 1986 (Public Law 99-399)), the Secretary of State, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall

[[Page H5971]]

     conduct an annual review of the Marine Corps Security Guard 
     Program, including--
       (1) an evaluation of whether the size and composition of 
     the Marine Corps Security Guard Program is adequate to meet 
     global diplomatic security requirements;
       (2) an assessment of whether the Marine Corps security 
     guards are appropriately deployed among United States 
     embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic facilities to 
     respond to evolving security developments and potential 
     threats to United States interests abroad; and
       (3) an assessment of the mission objectives of the Marine 
     Corps Security Guard Program and the procedural rules of 
     engagement to protect diplomatic personnel under the Program.
       (b) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter 
     for three years, the Secretary of State, in consultation with 
     the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees an unclassified report, with a 
     classified annex as necessary, that addresses the 
     requirements specified in subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members may have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
place any extraneous material into the Record on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Department of State Operations and Embassy Security 
Authorization Act is a measure to provide our diplomats with the tools 
that they need to do the job effectively, as efficiently as possible, 
as safely as possible, and it has been over 10 years now since the last 
Department of State authorization bill was passed into law. Now in the 
interim, our ability to exercise oversight and push for reform within 
the Department has been eroded. That is why it is so essential that we 
get this authorization into law--because it is not good for Congress; 
it is not good for the Department; it is not good for the taxpayer. 
Authorizing these programs is going to increase our oversight ability. 
It will improve Members' ability to legislate new programs. It will 
save money. It will reform old programs. And when we do not authorize, 
as you know, departments are less accountable; they can drift.
  As Members know, the Department's failings on security were laid bare 
in Benghazi, Libya. The Accountability Review Board, looking into 
Benghazi, found:

       Systemic failures and leadership and management 
     deficiencies at senior levels within two bureaus of the State 
     Department resulted in a special mission security posture 
     that was inadequate for Benghazi and grossly inadequate to 
     deal with the attack that took place.

  That was the finding; the local guard force in place to protect 
Benghazi was inadequate.
  The closure of 21 U.S. embassies in August and the recent closure of 
our embassy in Beirut demonstrate the continued threat to our 
facilities and personnel overseas. Indeed, this week, the Department 
renewed its global terrorism alert for U.S. citizens. This is why this 
bill authorizes full funding for embassy security.
  One of the principal functions of the Department is to protect our 
facilities and personnel that are stationed overseas. The other body, 
our colleagues in the Senate, have also introduced legislation on 
embassy security, and we have been in consultation with them because we 
intend to have this signed into law.
  This legislation carries much of the same language, including:
  One, language requirements for diplomatic security personnel in line 
with the ARB report recommendations. We need the security personnel to 
be able to speak that local dialect.
  Two, implementation of the expanded marine security guard program, 
including a plan to deploy these additional personnel and station them 
appropriately. We need the marines at the gate. We need to be able to 
guard the gate. It needs to be reinforced.
  Three, authority to protect soft targets overseas.
  Four, regulations for the reemployment of personnel to fill staffing 
gaps at high-risk, high-threat posts. We need that personnel to be able 
to get that retraining to speak the local dialect in order to help 
protect that facility.
  Importantly, this bill contains a provision, championed by committee 
members Mr. Radel and Ms. Frankel, which will award local security 
guard contracts now on the basis of best value rather than lowest cost. 
For our highest threat posts, we need only the highest quality security 
personnel, not personnel that's going to flee in the face of a threat.
  This bill also requires the Department to develop contingency plans 
for increasing security at high-threat posts. These plans must include 
options for employing additional military personnel and equipment to 
bolster security in response to a threat, as well as plans for a rapid 
deployment of assets in response to an attack. We need a rapid response 
force to be stood up so that they can be called into action if there's 
a threat in this part of the world to our consulates and to our 
embassies.
  The strong emphasis on embassy security in this legislation, H.R. 
2848, and the legislation that's over in the Senate is timely and 
responsive to urgent needs. Working in a bipartisan manner, this bill 
was able to authorize full funding for embassy security while still 
producing a fiscally responsible product.
  Overall, this bill is a 9 percent cut from the fiscal year 2012 
level, and this includes a cut of nearly 22 percent, that's $2.4 
billion, in Department administration costs. Further savings to the 
taxpayer have been achieved by placing a cap on pay for those personnel 
stationed overseas by closing a bureaucratic loophole that allowed 
personnel to draw both a pension and a salary, except in the most 
extenuating of circumstances, by capping the amount of paid time off 
for employees and authorizing current employees to fill staffing 
vacancies. By doing it that way, we negate the need to hire more 
Foreign Service Officers.
  So this bill also reforms some of the core management functions of 
the Department by prohibiting those convicted of fraud or embezzlement 
or theft or other offenses from receiving government contracts in the 
future. The bill also prohibits funding for the proposed Foreign 
Affairs Security Training Center unless there's an independent 
feasibility study that's completed and presented to the appropriate 
congressional committee.
  This bill also has strong bipartisan support. When I say ``strong,'' 
Mr. Engel and myself have worked with Members on both sides of the 
aisle. We took some 11 amendments. We've worked out the differences. We 
got bipartisan support in the committee, and I urge my colleagues to 
vote for this legislation so it can be promptly sent to the Senate and 
then on to the President for his signature, thereby ensuring that our 
embassies and personnel stationed abroad are protected at a time of 
their greatest need.

  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2848, the 
Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, 
and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to say once again, it has been a pleasure to work with 
Chairman Royce once again in a bipartisan fashion. I am very proud of 
what we have done on the Foreign Affairs Committee this year in a 
bipartisan fashion, and this is just another example of it. Everybody 
had input. All sides had corrections. We incorporated many, many 
different things together, and I think we have a very, very good 
product.
  This important legislation authorizes the resources necessary to 
protect our dedicated diplomats and provides basic authorities to the 
State Department to advance United States interests and values around 
the world. The funds authorized in this bill support all of the State 
Department's global operations for less than 3 percent of the Defense 
Department's total budget. To me, that's a very, very wise investment 
in U.S. national security.

                              {time}  1445

  As all of us know, our diplomats and aid workers face unprecedented 
threats

[[Page H5972]]

in the Middle East, South Asia, North Africa, and other volatile 
regions of the world. The attack on our consulate in Herat, 
Afghanistan, 2 weeks ago, is a stark reminder of these very real 
dangers.
  The bill before us today fully funds the President's request for 
diplomatic security. This will allow the State Department to construct 
six new secure embassies, support 151 new diplomatic security personnel 
and build facilities for 26 additional Marine Security Guard 
detachments.
  This legislation also includes a number of other provisions to better 
protect our men and women serving abroad, including many that were 
included in an embassy security bill that I introduced earlier this 
year. Among other things, H.R. 2848 would enhance the coordination 
between the State and Defense Departments in times of emergency, 
require security and language training for State Department employees 
before they deploy to dangerous locations, and improve the process by 
which the State Department makes security-related decisions.
  In addition, this legislation includes elements of a bipartisan bill 
introduced by Representatives Radel and Frankel that gives the State 
Department flexibility to award local guard contracts at high-threat 
posts on the basis of best value rather than on who had the lowest bid. 
In the past, having to accept the lowest bids sometimes resulted in 
poorly trained local security forces that endangered the safety of our 
diplomats and development experts.
  Finally, this legislation includes another bipartisan provision, 
drafted by Representatives Perry and Meng, that provides additional 
accountability for State Department officials when their job 
performance is unsatisfactory.
  Mr. Speaker, I'd like to point out that we haven't had a State 
Department authorization bill signed into law since 2002. The chairman 
and I are both convinced that this is something that needs to be 
changed. That's another reason we're doing this very, very important 
bill.
  In order for Congress to properly oversee the State Department's 
operations and activities, we need to resume the practice of passing 
our authorization bill on a regular basis and encourage our Senate 
colleagues to do the same.
  Again, I want to commend Chairman Royce for his hard work on this 
legislation, and I look forward to working with him to further improve 
the bill as it moves through the legislative process, again, in a 
bipartisan manner.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on 
Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International 
Organizations and, I would add, Mr. Speaker, the author of important 
State authorization and embassy security laws in past Congresses.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank, first of all, 
Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel for drafting this 
extraordinarily timely and important legislation. This is an essential 
bill, and it must be passed and signed into law.
  Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday of this week, my subcommittee staff director, 
Greg Simpkins, and I returned from a 4-day trip to Nigeria, including 
the city of Jos, the scene of recent fire bombings of Christian 
churches by Boko Haram, a terrorist organization that has killed 
thousands of Nigerian Christians and some Muslims as well. Boko Haram--
like al-Shabaab, the cowards who slaughtered Kenyans in a shopping 
center in Nairobi last week--poses serious and escalating threats to 
indigenous Africans and American personnel overseas.
  The Embassy Security Act, like the Secure Embassy Construction and 
Counterterrorism Act of 1999, a law that I authored, is designed to 
significantly enhance protection at our missions abroad. Significantly, 
more than a dozen years ago that law came to the floor on the heels of 
al Qaeda bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam at our embassies in 
1998.
  I chaired the hearings following that tragic loss of life. Admiral 
Crowe, who led the Accountability Review Boards at that time, 
testified. But it is clear that the promised action following those 
earlier attacks has not been fully implemented. There are serious, 
significant security gaps that must be remedied more than a decade 
later. The Royce bill does that. We seem not to have adequately learned 
the lessons from the terror attacks against our distinguished 
ambassador and three extraordinarily brave individuals in Benghazi.
  The Royce-Engel bill before us today contains a number of significant 
provisions, including necessary security upgrades for our embassies and 
consulates abroad. Our embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, was constructed with 
the upgrades recommended by earlier legislation. Greg and I saw that 
firsthand this week. But so many older facilities do not meet those 
high standards, including lifesaving setbacks from roads and 
thoroughfares. Chairman Royce's bill will address those gaps in 
essential security features at our overseas posts.
  I'm especially appreciative that the Foreign Affairs committee 
accepted my amendment that originally passed as a provision of my 
International Megan's Law 3 years ago--it passed the House, never got 
through the Senate, we all know that drill--which limits to 1 year or 
such time as the Secretary of State shall determine appropriate the 
period of validity of a passport issued to a convicted sex offender.
  In 2008, the General Accountability Office found that some 4,500 
convicted pedophiles got passports. That's every year. That's almost 
50,000 over a 10-year period--the life of a passport. And the evidence 
suggests some may travel to places with impunity in Bangkok and all 
over the world and abuse children. Poverty worldwide has made this 
exploitation even more prevalent--more kids now are at risk. This 
provision will empower the Secretary of State and the President to 
mitigate their travel to abuse children.
  This is an excellent bill. Again, I commend Chairman Royce and Eliot 
Engel for working in such a constructive, bipartisan way.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Meeks), a very senior and important member of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee.
  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank Chairman Royce and 
Ranking Member Engel for providing leadership and working together to 
get this bill done in a bipartisan manner.
  This is a bill where everybody had their input and everybody gave 
some and everybody said what was involved, and we were able to come up 
with a bill that is a compromise bill that's in the best interest of 
all of us, especially the men and women who serve us in the State 
Department abroad.
  There's generally two groups of individuals that we have a huge 
responsibility for. They are our men and women on the battlefield, who 
are in the military. We need to make sure that they have everything 
that they need for their protection and their success in their mission. 
Likewise, the men and women who serve as our diplomats, what huge and 
important jobs they have. We have an absolute responsibility to make 
sure that we give them everything that they need to make sure that 
they're secure so their missions can be successful.
  That's what this bill does. It looks at the security issue in a 
manner to make sure that our embassies are safe and secure. For 
example, it establishes working groups to ensure that new or reopening 
posts are provided the necessary security measures and funding. We had 
some before that had to be closed. We want to make sure we look at it 
and focus so that they get what they need.
  It requires a strategic review of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security 
to ensure that its missions and activities are meeting current and 
projected needs. That's tremendously important. And it authorizes the 
State to utilize best value rather than lowest cost for security guard 
contracts at high-risk and high-threat posts.
  Furthermore--which I think is absolutely key--it gives full 
authorization for the National Endowment for Democracy, of which I once 
sat as a board member, to support the work of the four affiliated core 
institutes, including the National Democratic Institute and the 
American Center for International Labor Solidarity, to develop

[[Page H5973]]

independent media, human rights protections, and other democratic 
institutions, values, and processes around the world. This is great 
work. This is work that will help democracy flourish throughout this 
place that we call Earth, making it a more peaceful and better place 
for us all to get along.
  As we've seen recently, we've come a long way in the last 4 weeks in 
moving diplomatically and trying to resolve issues together. If we give 
our diplomats the kind of protection they need, then I believe that we 
can make sure that this place we call Earth is much safer tomorrow than 
it is today.
  I thank, again, the chairman and the ranking member for the manner in 
which they have worked to resolve and bring this bill to the floor, and 
urge my colleagues to vote for it.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Forbes).
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to compliment the 
chairman and the ranking member for their hard work on this bill and 
for the arguments that have been presented in favor of the bill today. 
But it's because of those arguments that I have to rise today in grave 
opposition to this bill because of a provision in this bill that could 
seriously undercut our Nation's ability to protect its embassies.
  It's been over a year since terrorists attacked our diplomatic 
mission in Benghazi, leaving four Americans dead. In the wake of the 
attack, the State Department's investigation board questioned the 
``grossly inadequate'' security at the mission and recommended that 
staff at high-threat posts undergo extensive security training at a 
State Department center.
  The independent, nonpartisan Government Accountability Office, 
however, has called current training facilities ``inadequate'' and has 
said that they pose a ``critical challenge.''
  The State Department has long recognized this serious deficiency and 
has been looking for a dedicated training site for over 3 years. In 
testimony before Congress this year, Assistant Secretary Gregory Starr 
said:

       The capacity of the current facility . . . cannot meet our 
     training needs . . . doesn't even meet our highest threat-
     level requirement and . . . at some point may not be 
     available to us.

  And yet this bill on the floor of the House today specifically 
prohibits the Department of State from developing the center it so 
critically needs for diplomatic security.
  Make no mistake about it: it's not because of cost. It's not because 
of efficiency. It's because of a protection for those inadequate 
facilities because of the districts they're in.

  This is an urgent need that must be accomplished in a fiscally 
responsible manner, but is one that this body cannot or must not delay 
with more bureaucracy. And that is exactly what this bill will do. 
America has an obligation that we have adequately trained those 
responsible for the protection of our diplomats and their families 
around the world. It's absolutely unconscionable that we are 
prohibiting the State Department from moving forward on the facility 
they need to prevent another Benghazi attack.
  I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill. A ``no'' vote might 
not stop it, but it'll send a message to the Senate to fix it in 
conference.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to assure the gentleman from Virginia, and all Members here, 
Mr. Speaker, that this committee has been highly attentive to the 
Benghazi attack. Indeed, that's one of the reasons we're here on this 
bill.
  To the gentleman from Virginia who spoke earlier, I would just note 
that if standing up a new Foreign Affairs Training Center in his 
district, as has been proposed, is a good use of our limited fiscal 
resources, then he has nothing to fear from this bill.
  While there have been proposals to completely prohibit such an 
expenditure, they are not included in this legislation. But what our 
bill does do is it requires an independent feasibility study first, to 
assess whether current facilities are inadequate, before we spend the 
better part of a billion dollars on a completely new facility.
  If the gentleman from Virginia is suggesting he's opposed to this 
legislation, then I would point out that initial estimates by the 
Department of State are that this new facility could cost up to $950 
million--and at least $450 million.

                              {time}  1500

  I would also call attention to the Members of this body that Congress 
has not received a copy of any feasibility studies related to the 
proposed new Foreign Assistance Training Center--FAST-C, as it's 
called.
  There are valid concerns that the FAST-C center is not needed and the 
same functions could be achieved by collaborating with the Department 
of Homeland Security Federal Law Enforcement Training Facility. 
Further, I would point out that the Federal Law Enforcement Training 
Facility has quoted a price nearly 50 percent lower than what it would 
cost to build the new FAST-C facility.
  Now, before State moves forward, the Congress needs more information, 
and the Department of State needs to demonstrate more due diligence on 
this endeavor, especially in light of the recent facility construction 
debacles that we've seen around the world, including in Afghanistan.
  I would further point out that in July, the State Department noted 
``ongoing serious fiscal challenges'' and the need for ``additional due 
diligence in determining how to move forward with the FAST-C facility 
at Fort Pickett.''
  Lastly, Mr. Speaker, there are serious questions about whether the 
existing DHS facility in Glynco, Georgia, could be used at a much lower 
cost to the American taxpayer.
  We all understand the responsibility to represent our districts, but 
it should not come at the cost of blocking legislation that will answer 
the need, in terms of security, for our personnel overseas. Again, I 
would point out that this does not prohibit such an expenditure. It 
merely requires an independent feasibility study to assess whether or 
not it is appropriate.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlelady from New York (Ms. Meng), a very valuable member of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee, whose provision will hold the State 
Department more accountable, and her provision was incorporated into 
this bill.
  Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2848, 
the Fiscal Year 2014 Department of State Operations and Embassy 
Security Act. This bill authorizes funds for the State Department to 
advance U.S. interests around the world and strengthen our national 
security.
  The bill fully funds the President's request for diplomatic security, 
as I have long urged that it should. Importantly, it also makes several 
important changes to how we protect our diplomats and embassies abroad 
and how we ensure accountability at the State Department.
  Mr. Speaker, this past December, an accountability review board, or 
ARB, was convened to assess the State Department's policies and 
response to the attack in Benghazi. However, under the current 
authorizing statute, an ARB can only recommend disciplinary action 
against a State Department employee where there has been a ``breach of 
duty,'' a standard which is both very high and very hard to understand. 
As a result, the Benghazi ARB was unable to recommend disciplinary 
action against even a single State Department employee.
  On this point, Mr. Speaker, I refer you to section 414 of the bill 
before us today. It is entitled the ``Revision of Provisions Relating 
to Personnel Recommendation of the ARB.'' The section was drafted and 
inserted by me and my esteemed colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  By making it easier for future ARBs to recommend disciplinary 
actions, section 414 will ensure greater accountability and 
responsibility at the State Department in the years to come and help 
prevent future Benghazis.
  This effort on the part of myself and Mr. Perry is representative of 
the bipartisan nature of this bill--the first such bill that would pass 
Congress in over a decade.
  On a variety of issues, including the crucial maintenance and 
strengthening of Iran's sanctions, the committee has worked effectively 
and constructively as our country needs it to. This is in large part 
due to the stellar leadership

[[Page H5974]]

of Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel, and I thank them so much 
for their mentorship.
  It is ironic that our committee stands on the verge of a significant 
bipartisan breakthrough at this time. Perhaps our work can inspire some 
much-needed reasonableness and compromise in these Halls in the hours, 
days, and weeks to come.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I mentioned before Ms. Frankel had worked 
very hard, and we incorporated some of her work into this bill as well. 
So I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel).
  Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, this is a very good example of 
what happens when colleagues work together. I want to thank Mr. Royce 
and Mr. Engel very much for including in this legislation language from 
a bipartisan bill sponsored by myself and my colleague, Mr. Trey Radel, 
also from Florida.
  This particular provision would authorize the State Department to use 
the ``best value'' contracting award method in high-risk, high-threat 
areas around the world, ensuring the safety of American men and women 
serving our country abroad.
  With this bipartisan effort, the State Department will be allowed to 
consider factors beyond only price in making security contracts, giving 
the State Department the flexibility and tools they need to keep those 
who serve us abroad safe from harm and ensure taxpayer money is being 
used effectively.
  Mr. Speaker, the attack on our embassy in Benghazi was a tragic 
reminder of the security environment in which many of our diplomats 
serve. And it is our responsibility here in Congress to do everything 
in our power to protect Americans and our embassies overseas.
  Again, I thank Mr. Royce and Mr. Engel for their good work.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

  Mr. ENGEL. It is my pleasure now to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), a former member of our 
committee.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member 
for the great work on an issue that so many of us have noted and 
advocated for over the years.
  As a former member of this committee during the time of the 
Democratic majority, I still continue to have a great sense of the 
importance of the work. Having traveled to a number of countries and 
engaged with our diplomatic staff and the State Department, let me put 
on the record the crucial work that our diplomatic corps--our diplomat 
staff, the staff at the State Department, the Secretary of State--does 
and is engaged in for the safety and security of the American people. 
Their work is vital. They are partners with the defense; but more 
importantly, they are partners for reconciliation and coming together. 
It is evident by their great work of where we are in Syria, along with 
the President, and of course, most recently, some of the outreach that 
has gone on with Iran.
  But my main point for speaking today is, having physically visited a 
number of the diplomatic sites in high-risk and high-threat posts, I am 
ecstatic about this legislation that provides a matrix, along with 
working groups for security measures and funding, along with the review 
of a diplomatic security, with the support of the National Endowment 
for Democracy, which, when I went to oversee the Algerian election, 
they were very much involved, as they are and as they were in Egypt, 
and as they were in many other places where there are difficult 
circumstances. And then of course to be able to enhance security for 
the diplomatic staff and security, to protect the civilian, but also 
the military. Our marines are very able, as those who are there at 
posts; they provide enhanced security for those particular posts.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. ENGEL. I yield the gentlelady 1 minute.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. One of the things that I am most excited about--and 
I thank the author of the amendment--and that is the issue of best 
value for security. That is a crucial bipartisan agreement that makes 
common sense; that on the security of our men and women who leave these 
shores to be instruments of peace, diplomatic engagement, and be the 
face of the American people in very difficult posts--whether it's Iraq, 
Afghanistan, or whether it may be Egypt, whether it may be Pakistan, 
and other places beyond--that it is our duty to ensure that the posts 
that they are in have the highest level of security quality, both from 
technology and also from the physical bricks and mortar.
  So I rise today because I wanted to first acknowledge the valiant 
service of all of those who have served. I also want to make note of 
those who we have lost, who have served in the diplomatic corps in 
places far beyond our borders, and to thank them and thank those who 
serve in the State Department and who are serving as we speak; and the 
United States Marines, who across the world secure these very valiant 
public servants.
  I support the legislation.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time to close.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to 
conclude.
  I again would like to thank Chairman Royce for his efforts in putting 
this bill together.
  I have a copy of the bill in front of me. It is H.R. 2848. It says:

       In the House of Representatives, July 30, 2013, Mr. Royce, 
     for himself and Mr. Engel, introduced the following bill; 
     which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

  I read that because I think, again, it highlights, as so many of our 
colleagues have said, that this bill is really Congress at its best and 
the committee at its best. People had concerns; we worked together, and 
we thrashed them out. We put together a product that those people who 
were most concerned with this were able to agree. I hope that that will 
be infectious, and perhaps we can take it out of our committee and move 
it to the Congress on other things that we're not having so much 
agreement with these days. But I again want to thank Chairman Royce.
  The State authorization, an embassy security bill, is a very, very 
important part of our oversight of the State Department. The bill will 
bolster the State Department's security efforts, and who really can 
oppose that.
  So I urge its passage. I thank the chairman again, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. I thank Mr. Engel, and I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I would point out again that, in the past, State 
Department authorization bills that have passed the House--even under 
suspension--have failed due to inaction in the other body. Now, because 
of the strong bicameral interest in embassy security, we have an 
opportunity to break this bad habit and return to our core 
responsibility.
  Congressman Engel from New York and myself have discussed these 
issues not only with our Members, but with Members of the Senate. If 
enacted, this bill of course will only be the fourth time in the last 
17 years that Congress has passed a State Department authorization.
  We need to seize this opportunity to move meaningful legislation at a 
time when Members of this body and in the Senate understand that this 
is a chance to direct this issue of embassy security and provide that 
additional security.
  I very much want to express my appreciation for the collaboration 
I've had with Mr. Engel, our ranking member, on this piece of 
legislation. This is a bipartisan bill, as he shared with you. 
Together, we have worked to incorporate the ideas of the members of our 
committee. A large number of those committee members have offered 
amendments that are in this legislation.
  So to conclude, I would point out that H.R. 2848 is a strongly 
bipartisan measure. It is fiscally responsible; it is constructive in 
its reforms; and it is deliberate in its efforts to keep our personnel 
stationed overseas as safe as we can keep them.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2848, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.

[[Page H5975]]

  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________