[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5031-S5032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2763. Mr. CARDIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 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 F of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1291. DIVERSITY IN NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL 
                   AFFAIRS MATTERS.

       (a) Transparency and Accountability in National Security 
     and International Affairs Workforce Policies and Practices.--
       (1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that it 
     is in the strategic interest of the United States to recruit 
     and retain talent from across the United States to support 
     the national security and foreign policy goals of the United 
     States.
       (2) Establishment.--There shall be established within the 
     front office of the Department of State, the United States 
     Agency for International Development, and other international 
     affairs and national security agencies (as applicable), a 
     Diversity and Inclusion Office (in this section referred to 
     as the ``Office'') to advance transparency, accountability, 
     and meritocracy in the recruitment and retention of a diverse 
     workforce.
       (3) Head of office.--Each Office shall be led by a Chief 
     Diversity Officer or Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer 
     (in this subsection referred to as the ``Officer''), who 
     shall--
       (A) report directly to the Secretary, the Administrator, or 
     other agency head, as applicable;
       (B) develop and promote strategies in support of the policy 
     expressed in paragraph (1), including--
       (i) serving as a permanent voting member of any agency 
     committee or panel responsible for the selection of senior 
     leadership positions within the agency; and
       (ii) developing a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and 
     Accessibility Strategic Plan or another comprehensive 
     strategic plan that supports a diverse workforce and advances 
     fair, transparent, and safe human resources policies and 
     practices; and
       (C) be supported by expert senior, mid-career, and other 
     personnel to assist in the development and implementation of 
     diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
       (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated for each Office such sums as may be 
     necessary to establish and maintain the work described in 
     paragraph (3).
       (b) Office of Race and Ethnic Relations and Affairs.--
       (1) Establishment.--The Secretary may establish within the 
     front office of the Under Secretary of State for Civilian 
     Security, Democracy, and Human Rights an Office of Race and 
     Ethnic Relations and Affairs (in this subsection referred to 
     as the ``Office'') to assist in addressing national security 
     and human rights concerns stemming from racial and ethnic 
     divisions and conflicts.
       (2) Head of office and functions.--The head of the Office 
     shall--
       (A) be a recognized expert in race and ethnic relations, 
     hold the rank and status of ambassador or equivalent 
     position, and report directly to the Secretary; and
       (B) direct and coordinate activities, policies, programs, 
     action plans, public diplomacy, and funding relating to the 
     human rights, protection, and empowerment of members of 
     marginalized and underserved racial, ethnic, and indigenous 
     populations, including individuals of African descent and 
     Roma populations;
       (C) work to improve race and ethnic relations and address 
     racial and ethnic violence;
       (D) represent the United States in contacts with foreign 
     governments, international organizations, and specialized 
     agencies relating to race and ethnicity, and lead the 
     coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of United States 
     international race and ethnic policies and programs; and
       (E) establish a program to support international research 
     and education on race and ethnicity in national and regional 
     conflicts.
       (c) Centers of Excellence in Foreign Affairs and 
     Assistance.--
       (1) In general.--The Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development, in coordination with 
     the Secretary of State, may designate Centers of Excellence 
     in Foreign Affairs and Assistance

[[Page S5032]]

     at historically Black colleges and universities and other 
     institutions to receive grants to develop research, training, 
     fellowship, internships, degree programs, educational 
     exchange programs, and other partnership opportunities that 
     advance United States national security through foreign 
     policy and international development efforts.
       (2) Historically black college and university defined.--In 
     this section, the term ``historically Black college and 
     university'' has the meaning given the term ``part B 
     institution'' in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
                                 ______