H.R. 6456: To provide for extensions of certain authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes.

110th Congress · introduced 2008-07-10 · International Affairs · Latest: Became Public Law No: 110-321.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2008-07-10 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Berman, Howard L. [D-CA-28] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 110-321. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To provide for extensions of certain authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on July 30, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) (Sec. 1) Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to extend for one year the Secretary of State's authority to waive Foreign Service annuitant salary and full-time employment pension restrictions respecting assignment to: (1) consular posts with a substantial visa application backlog; and (2) Iraq and Afghanistan. (Sec. 2) Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to permit rest and recuperation travel for Foreign Service members and family members to U.S. territories, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Specifies that required leave based upon continuous service abroad may be taken in the United States or its territories, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (Current law refers to the United States, its territories and possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.) (Sec. 3) Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to specify that the Secretary may pay the subsistence expenses of Department of State special agents on authorized protective missions at or away from their duty stations. (Sec. 4) Amends the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 to extend grant authority for Radio Free Asia for one year. (Sec. 5) Amends the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 to extend for one year the International Broadcasting Bureau personal services contracting pilot program under which U.S. citizens or aliens are hired as personal services contractors, without regard to Civil Service and classification laws.

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 for extensions of certain authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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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. Berman, Howard L. [D-CA-28] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 6456, An act to provide for extensions of certain authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes (2008-10-01); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 6456, An act to provide for extensions of certain authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes (2008-10-01)

Cosponsors on this site

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 (2)

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.

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-110hr6456.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/hr>

Record fed-us-cong110-hr6456 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110