[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 119 (Monday, June 29, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3692-S3693]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2238. Mr. RISCH (for himself and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle G of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1287. IMPROVED COORDINATION OF UNITED STATES SANCTIONS 
                   POLICY.

       (a) Office of Sanctions Coordination of the Department of 
     State.--
       (1) In general.--Section 1 of the State Department Basic 
     Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a) is amended--
       (A) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
       (B) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
       ``(g) Office of Sanctions Coordination.--
       ``(1) In general.--There is established, within the 
     Department of State, an Office of Sanctions Coordination (in 
     this subsection referred to as the `Office').
       ``(2) Head.--The head of the Office shall--
       ``(A) have the rank and status of ambassador;
       ``(B) be appointed by the President, by and with the advice 
     and consent of the Senate; and
       ``(C) report directly to the Secretary.
       ``(3) Duties.--The head of the Office shall--
       ``(A) exercise sanctions authorities delegated to the 
     Secretary;
       ``(B) serve as the principal advisor to the senior 
     management of the Department and the Secretary regarding the 
     development and implementation of sanctions policy;
       ``(C) serve as the lead representative of the United States 
     in diplomatic engagement on sanctions matters;
       ``(D) consult and closely coordinate with allies and 
     partners of the United States, including the United Kingdom, 
     the European Union and member countries of the European 
     Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South 
     Korea, to ensure the maximum effectiveness of sanctions 
     imposed by the United States and such allies and partners;
       ``(E) serve as the coordinator for the development and 
     implementation of sanctions policy with respect to all 
     activities, policies, and programs of all bureaus and offices 
     of the Department relating to the development and 
     implementation of sanctions policy; and
       ``(F) serve as the lead representative of the Department in 
     interagency discussions with respect to the development and 
     implementation of sanctions policy.
       ``(4) Direct hire authority.--The head of the Office may 
     appoint, without regard to the provisions of sections 3309 
     through 3318 of title 5, United States Code, candidates 
     directly to positions in the competitive service, as defined 
     in section 2102 of that title, in the Office.''.
       (2) Briefing required.--Not later than 60 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days 
     thereafter until the date that is 2 years after such date of 
     enactment, the Secretary of State shall brief the appropriate 
     congressional committees on the efforts of the Department of 
     State to establish the Office of Sanctions Coordination 
     pursuant to section 1(g) of the State Department Basic 
     Authorities Act of 1956, as amended by paragraph (1), 
     including a description of--
       (A) measures taken to implement the requirements of that 
     section and to establish the Office;
       (B) actions taken by the Office to carry out the duties 
     listed in paragraph (3) of that section;
       (C) the resources devoted to the Office, including the 
     number of employees working in the Office; and
       (D) plans for the use of the direct hire authority provided 
     under paragraph (4) of that section.
       (b) Coordination With Allies and Partners of the United 
     States.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of State shall develop and 
     implement mechanisms and programs, as appropriate, through 
     the head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination established 
     pursuant to section 1(g) of the State Department Basic 
     Authorities Act of 1956, as amended by subsection (a)(1), to 
     coordinate the development and implementation of United 
     States sanctions policies with allies and partners of the 
     United States, including the United Kingdom, the European 
     Union and member countries of the European Union, Canada, 
     Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea.
       (2) Information sharing.--The Secretary should pursue the 
     development and implementation of mechanisms and programs 
     under paragraph (1), as appropriate, that involve the sharing 
     of information with respect to policy development and 
     sanctions implementation.
       (3) Capacity building.--The Secretary should pursue 
     efforts, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury 
     and the head of any other agency the Secretary considers 
     appropriate, to assist allies and partners of the United 
     States, including the countries specified in paragraph (1), 
     as appropriate, in the development of their legal and 
     technical capacities to develop and implement sanctions 
     authorities.
       (4) Exchange programs.--In furtherance of the efforts 
     described in paragraph (3), the Secretary, in coordination 
     with the Secretary of the Treasury and the head of any other 
     agency the Secretary considers appropriate, may enter into 
     agreements with counterpart agencies in foreign governments 
     establishing exchange programs for the temporary detail of 
     government employees to share information and expertise with 
     respect to the development and implementation of sanctions 
     authorities.
       (5) Briefing required.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days 
     thereafter until the date that is 5 years after such date of 
     enactment, the Secretary of State shall brief the appropriate 
     congressional committees on the efforts of the Department of 
     State to implement this section, including a description of--
       (A) measures taken to implement paragraph (1);
       (B) actions taken pursuant to paragraphs (2) through (4);
       (C) the extent of coordination between the United States 
     and allies and partners of the United States, including the 
     countries specified in paragraph (1), with respect to the 
     development and implementation of sanctions policy; and
       (D) obstacles preventing closer coordination between the 
     United States and such allies and partners with respect to 
     the development and implementation of sanctions policy.
       (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress 
     that the President should appoint a coordinator for sanctions 
     and national economic security issues within the framework of 
     the National Security Council.
       (d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
     Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Committee on 
     Finance of the Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
     Financial Services, and the

[[Page S3693]]

     Committee on Way and Means of the House of Representatives.
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