[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 73 (Tuesday, April 16, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18666-18667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9228]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesman

[Public Notice 3964]


U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy Endorses Freedom 
Protection Act of 2002

    To promote a stronger communications effort abroad to educate and 
inform foreign publics, the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public 
Diplomacy announced on April 8, 2002, its support for the Freedom 
Promotion Act of 2002 (H.R. 3969). The bill has been introduced by Rep. 
Henry Hyde (R-Il), chairman of the House International Relations 
Committee.
    The Commission specifically endorsed Section 105 of the bill, which 
significantly enhances the consultative and reporting roles of the 
Commission through specific new requirements, which include 
collaboration with the Government Accounting Office and mandated 
support to the Commission from the Department of State, International 
Broadcasting Agency and other agencies.
    ``The Hyde bill enables the Commission to fulfill its mission as an 
oversight authority of the activities that inform and influence foreign 
publics,'' said Harold C. Pachios, chairman of the Commission. ``In 
order to properly develop the reports and the insight necessary to 
support American public diplomacy efforts, the Commission needs the 
strong collaboration of the agencies that it helps to oversee.''
    Section 105 of the bill also requires that at least four of the 
seven Commission members have substantial experience in the field of 
public diplomacy.
    ``To enable our nation to effectively connect with foreign 
audiences, we need the best minds in opinion research, public 
relations, diplomacy and advertising,'' said Pachios. ``By requiring 
that at least a majority of the Commission members have substantial 
experience communicating with mass audiences, we will ensure that the 
Commission will always have the necessary expertise to cast the 
critical, yet helpful, eye on our public diplomacy initiatives.''
    The U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy is a bipartisan 
Presidentially appointed panel created by Congress in 1948 to provide 
oversight of U.S. Government activities intended to understand, inform 
and influence foreign publics. The Commission reports its findings and 
recommendations to the President, the Congress and the Secretary of 
State and

[[Page 18667]]

the American people. Current commission members include Pachios of 
Maine, Charles Dolan of Virginia, Penne Percy Korth of Washington, DC, 
Lewis Manilow of Illinois and Maria Elena Torano of Florida.

    Dated: April 10, 2002.
Matthew Lauer,
Executive Director, U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 02-9228 Filed 4-15-02; 8:45 am]
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