H.R. 4436: To provide certain authorities for the Department of State, and for other purposes.
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H.R. 4436: To provide certain authorities for the Department of State, and for other purposes.
109th Congress · introduced 2005-12-06 · International Affairs · Latest: Became Public Law No: 109-140.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2005-12-06 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 109-140. (final step reached)
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
To provide certain authorities for the Department of State, and for other purposes.
Plain summary
(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on December 14, 2005. The summary of that version is repeated here.) (Sec. 1) Authorizes the Secretary of State to provide for U.S. participation in the Regional Emerging Diseases Intervention Center ("REDI Center") in Singapore. Requires the Secretary to: (1) consult with the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate (Committees); and (2) report on REDI Center efforts respecting bioterrorism concerns. (Sec. 2) Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to credit Department of State medical reimbursements to the currently available appropriation account, which shall be available for expenditure during the fiscal year received or longer as may be provided by law. (Sec. 3) Amends the Diplomatic Security Act to authorize the Secretary to not convene an Accountability Review Board to conduct an inquiry for incidents that involve serious injury, loss of life, or significant property destruction at a U.S. mission in Iraq or Afghanistan during the period of October 1, 2005, through September 30, 2009. Requires the Secretary, in the case of such an incident, to: (1) notify the Committees; and (2) investigate the incident and submit a report to such Committees. (Sec. 4) Amends the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2004 to repeal the provision making United States Agency for International Development (USAID) post differential and danger pay increases for employees not in Iraq or Afghanistan subject to the provision of similar pay allowances for Department employees. Increases the maximum post-differential and danger pay allowance for a Foreign Service employee to 35% of base pay. Directs the Secretary to report to the Committees and to the Committee on Government Reform of the House and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate respecting such increases' effect on "hard-to-fill" positions. (Sec. 5) Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to authorize the Foreign Service Grievance Board to retain an employee on the payroll while a grievance is being reviewed. (Sec. 6) Amends the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 to extend the International Broadcasting Bureau personal services contracting pilot program through December 31, 2006. (Sec. 7) Authorizes the Department to provide in advance funds available for official residence expenses to those persons currently eligible to receive such reimbursement. (Sec. 8) Amends the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 to authorize the Broadcasting Board of Governors to pay the primary and secondary education costs of dependents of personnel stationed in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, including certain transportation costs, if the Board determines that the schools available in the Commonwealth are unable to provide an adequate education. Limits such payments to amounts similarly permitted to Department of Defense (DOD) dependents' educational expenses in the Commonwealth.
Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
What a vote does
A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).
What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
To provide certain authorities for the Department of State, and for other purposes.
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The strongest published arguments
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Alternatives
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · 0 cosponsors
Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 4436, An act to provide certain authorities for the Department of State, and for other purposes (2005-12-20); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 4436, An act to provide certain authorities for the Department of State, and for other purposes (2005-12-20)
Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] reported raising $797,217 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.
Agencies named in this bill
- Department of State: its federal spending and other bills that name it
Found automatically: the agency's full official name appears in the bill title. A bill can affect agencies it does not name, so this list may be incomplete.
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (4)
- Appropriation
- Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
- Authorization
- A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
- Fiscal year
- The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
- Securities
- Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109hr4436.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/hr>
Record fed-us-cong109-hr4436 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109