H.R. 2848: Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2014

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H.R. 2848: Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2014

113th Congress · introduced 2013-07-30 · International Affairs · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

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Official title

Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2014

Plain summary

Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2014 - Authorizes FY2014 appropriations for: (1) diplomatic and consular programs; (2) the Capital Investment Fund; (3) educational and cultural exchange programs; (4) conflict stabilization operations; (5) representation allowances; (6) protection of foreign missions and officials; (7) diplomatic and consular service emergencies; (8) repatriation loans; (9) the American Institute in Taiwan; (10) the Office of the Inspector General; (11) the International Chancery Center; and (12) embassy security, construction and maintenance. Authorizes FY2014 appropriations for Department of State: (1) contributions to international organizations, and (2) international peacekeeping activities. Authorizes FY2014 appropriations to the Department for: (1) the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico; (2) the International Boundary Commission, United States and Canada; (3) the International Joint Commission; (4) the International Fisheries Commissions; and (5) the Border Environment Cooperation Commission. Authorizes FY2014 appropriations for the National Endowment for Democracy. Permits funds won by the Department in a decision of an international tribunal to be used for the International Litigation Fund. Requires that Foreign Service positions that have been vacant for more than one assignment cycle be filled on a temporary basis. Authorizes the establishment of the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications to coordinate public communications activities directed at audiences abroad and targeted against violent extremists and terrorist organizations, especially al-Qa'ida. Authorizes the Secretary of State to provide for U.S. participation in the Information Sharing Centre located in Singapore, as established by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia. Extends the passport surcharge authority through September 30, 2016. Revises the fee for a border crossing card for minors. Repeals specified reporting requirements. Authorizes the Secretary to suspend a Foreign Service member without pay when the member's security clearance is suspended or when there is reasonable cause to believe that the member has committed a crime for which a sentence of imprisonment may be imposed. Entitles such person to: (1) written notice stating the specific reasons for the proposed suspension; (2) reasonable time to respond orally and in writing; (3) representation; (4) a final written decision, including the specific reasons for such decision; and (5) file a grievance. Repeals the recertification requirement for Senior Foreign Service members. Authorizes a limited appointment extension for: (1) a person serving in the uniformed services whose limited appointment expires during such service, (2) up to 12 months in exceptional circumstances, and (3) a non-career employee who has served five consecutive years under a limited appointment for a subsequent limited appointment provided there is a one-year break in service. Sets maximum accrual of compensatory time off at 104 hours for travel status away from the employee's official duty station. Authorizes the Secretary to transfer to other Department officials or offices any authority, duty, or function assigned by statute to the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, or the Coordinator for International Energy Affairs. Extends the overseas comparability pay limitation through September 30, 2014. Directs the Secretary to: (1) submit to Congress a list of high risk, high threat diplomatic and consular posts; and (2) determine if a post should be so designated before its opening or reopening. Directs the Secretary, before opening or reopening a high risk, high threat post, to establish a working group responsible for the geographic area in which such post is to be opened or reopened. Requires: (1) U.S. diplomatic mission emergency action plans to include the threat from complex attacks, and (2) rapid response procedures to include options for deployment of military resources. Directs the Secretary to complete a strategic review of the Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security to ensure that its mission and activities are fulfilling current and projected Department needs. Expresses the sense of Congress that the capital security cost sharing program should prioritize the construction of new facilities and the maintenance of existing facilities at high risk, high threat posts. Prohibits a project to construct a U.S. diplomatic facility from including office space or other accommodations for a federal employee if the employee's department or agency has not provided the Department with the full amount of required funding, except that a project may include office space or other accommodations for members of the U.S. Marine Corps. Revises requirements for local guard and protective services contracts abroad, including authorizing the Department to award contracts on the basis of best value rather than lowest price in high risk, high threat areas when necessary. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) transfer to, and merge with, any appropriation for embassy security, construction, and maintenance amounts appropriated for any other purpose related to the administration of foreign affairs on or after October 1, 2013; (2) provide physical security enhancements at overseas educational facilities established for the children of U.S. government employees; and (3) reemploy through October 1, 2018, Foreign Service annuitants in emergency situations or when there is difficulty recruiting or retraining qualified personnel after an open and competitive search has failed to identify qualified, full-time persons. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Overseas Security Policy Board's security standards for U.S. diplomatic and consular posts should apply to all such posts regardless of duration of occupancy, and (2) such posts should comply with requirements for attaining a waiver or exception to applicable standards if in the U.S. national interest. Directs the Secretary to station key personnel for sustained periods of time at high risk, high threat posts in order to: (1) establish institutional knowledge and situational awareness that would allow for a fuller familiarization with the local political and security environment, and (2) ensure that necessary security procedures are implemented. Requires that: (1) personnel and senior and mid-level officials serving in high risk, high threat posts receive specified security training; and (2) diplomatic security personnel assigned permanently to such posts, or who are in long-term temporary duty status at them, receive specified language training. Directs the Secretary to conduct an annual review of the Marine Corps security guard program.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Royce, Edward R. [R-CA-39] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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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.

Recorded votes

• House roll call 500 (2013): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR2848 (2013-09-29): Passed

Sources

• Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
• Congress.gov
• Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113hr2848.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr2848 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113