[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 74 (Monday, May 1, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2653-S2654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENT OF STATE AUTHORITIES ACT, FISCAL YEAR 2017, IMPROVEMENTS ACT

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Foreign Relations be discharged from further consideration of S. 371 
and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 371) to make technical changes and other 
     improvements to the Department of State Authorities Act, 
     Fiscal Year 2017.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Corker 
amendment at the desk be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be 
considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 209) was agreed to, as follows:

   (Purpose: To require that the comparative report on peacekeeping 
 operations include an assessment of the operational, structural, and 
doctrinal differences between the military and civilian infrastructures 
  of the United States and United Nations and other assumptions that 
                         impact cost estimates)

       On page 6, beginning on line 9, strike ``and'' and all that 
     follows through line 17 and insert the following:
       (2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
       ``(1) a comparison of the costs of current United Nations 
     peacekeeping operations, including the costs incurred by the 
     United States for such operations, and the estimated cost of 
     such operations if implemented unilaterally by the United 
     States;'';
       (3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
       (4) by inserting after paragraph (1), as amended by 
     paragraph (2) of this section, the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) an assessment of the operational, structural, and 
     doctrinal differences between the military and civilian 
     infrastructures of the United States and United Nations and 
     other assumptions that impact cost estimates; and''.

  The bill (S. 371), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

                                 S. 371

       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 
     Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017, Improvements Act''.

     SEC. 2. OVERSIGHT BY COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 
     1986.--Section 104(a) of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and 
     Antiterrorism Act of 1986, as added by section 101 of the 
     Department of State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017 (Public 
     Law 114-323), is amended by inserting ``and the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives'' after ``appropriate congressional 
     committees''.
       (b) Annual Report on Embassy Construction Costs.--Section 
     118(a) of the Department of State Authorities Act, Fiscal 
     Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended by inserting ``and 
     the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House 
     of Representatives'' after ``appropriate congressional 
     committees''.
       (c) Oversight of and Accountability for Peacekeeper 
     Abuses.--Section 301(a) of the Department of State 
     Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is 
     amended by inserting ``and the Committees on Appropriations 
     of the Senate and the House of Representatives'' after 
     ``appropriate congressional committees''.
       (d) Workforce Rightsizing Report.--Section 405(c) of the 
     Department of State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017 (Public 
     Law 114-323) is amended by inserting ``and the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives'' after ``appropriate congressional 
     committees''.
       (e) Consular Immunity.--Subsection (b)(2) of section 4 of 
     the Diplomatic Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 254c), as added by 
     section 501 of the Department of State Authorities Act, 
     Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323), is amended by striking 
     ``of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations'' and inserting ``and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Appropriations''.
       (f) Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission Report.--
     Section 602(c) of the Department of State Authorities Act, 
     Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``and the Committee on Appropriations'' 
     after ``Committee on Foreign Affairs''; and
       (2) by inserting ``and the Committee on Appropriations'' 
     after ``Committee on Foreign Relations'';

     SEC. 3. PEACEKEEPING TRAINING.

       Section 301 of the Department of State Authorities Act, 
     Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (e)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``enhance the discovery'' 
     and inserting ``investigate allegations'';
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``adequately respond to 
     complaints about such offenses by carrying out swift and 
     effective disciplinary action against the personnel'' and 
     inserting ``appropriately hold accountable personnel''; and
       (C) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, including 
     compensation to victims, as appropriate'' after ``responses 
     to such offenses'';
       (2) in subsection (f)(2), by striking ``any individual who 
     commits an act'' and inserting ``personnel who are found to 
     have committed acts''; and
       (3) in subsection (g)(1), by striking ``noteworthy''.

     SEC. 4. QUALIFICATIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY 
                   GENERAL.

       Section 310 of the Department of State Authorities Act, 
     Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b), by striking ``The descriptions 
     referred to in subsection (a) shall include the following 
     elements'' and inserting ``In addition to the descriptions 
     referred to in subsection (a), each such candidate shall be 
     urged to describe the following''; and
       (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``such l'' and inserting 
     ``such agenda''.

     SEC. 5. POLICY REGARDING THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS 
                   COUNCIL.

       Section 311(a)(2) of the Department of State Authorities 
     Act, Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``; or'' and inserting 
     a semicolon; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
       ``(E) which has been designated as a Tier 3 country in the 
     annual Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report 
     under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 
     U.S.C. 7107); or
       ``(F) which is identified as having failed to prevent or 
     address gross violations of human rights in the annual 
     Department of State

[[Page S2654]]

     Human Rights Report under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
     and the Trade Act of 1974.''.

     SEC. 6. COMPARATIVE REPORT ON PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.

       Section 313 of the Department of State Authorities Act, 
     Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``and the Committees on Appropriations of 
     the Senate and the House of Representatives'' after 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'';
       (2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
       ``(1) a comparison of the costs of current United Nations 
     peacekeeping operations, including the costs incurred by the 
     United States for such operations, and the estimated cost of 
     such operations if implemented unilaterally by the United 
     States;'';
       (3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
       (4) by inserting after paragraph (1), as amended by 
     paragraph (2) of this section, the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) an assessment of the operational, structural, and 
     doctrinal differences between the military and civilian 
     infrastructures of the United States and United Nations and 
     other assumptions that impact cost estimates; and''.

     SEC. 7. LATERAL ENTRY INTO THE FOREIGN SERVICE.

       Section 404(a) of the Department of State Authorities Act, 
     Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended by striking 
     ``outstanding''.

     SEC. 8. COMBATING INTOLERANCE.

       The section heading of section 419 of the Department of 
     State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) 
     is amended by striking ``ANTI-SEMITISM'' and inserting 
     ``INTOLERANCE''.

     SEC. 9. TECHNICAL CORRECTION REGARDING COMPLETION OF WESTERN 
                   HEMISPHERE DRUG POLICY COMMISSION REPORT.

       Section 603(f)(1) of the Department of State Authorities 
     Act, Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended by 
     striking ``section 362'' and inserting ``section 602(c)''.

     SEC. 10. BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS.

       Section 703(b)(2) of the Department of State Authorities 
     Act, Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended by 
     striking ``any significant restructuring,''.

     SEC. 11. RANSOMS TO FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS.

       Section 709(a) of the Department of State Authorities Act, 
     Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323) is amended by inserting 
     ``, to the extent practicable,'' before ``transmit''.

     SEC. 12. RESTORATION OF TIBET REPORT.

       Section 613 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 
     Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228, 22 U.S.C. 6901 note), 
     as amended by section 715(b)(1) of the Department of State 
     Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-323), is 
     further amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``In General'' and 
     inserting the following: ``Policy.--
       ``(1) In general.--'';
       (2) by redesignating subsection (b) as paragraph (2) and 
     moving such paragraph, as so redesignated, two ems to the 
     right; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(b) Periodic Reports.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of the Department of State Authorities 
     Act, Fiscal Year 2017, Improvements Act, and annually 
     thereafter until December 31, 2021, the President shall 
     transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
     on--
       ``(1) the steps taken by the President and the Secretary in 
     accordance with subsection (a)(1); and
       ``(2) the status of any discussions between the People's 
     Republic of China and the Dalai Lama or his 
     representatives.''.

                          ____________________