H.R. 3352: Department of State Authorization Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-06-19 · International Affairs · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-06-19 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Department of State Authorization Act of 2019

Plain summary

Department of State Authorization Act of 2019 This bill authorizes, revises, and repeals various provisions related to the Department of State. The bill provides statutory authority to establish an Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and an Assistant Secretary for Energy Diplomacy and Security and eliminates the position for the Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma (Myanmar). The bill imposes limitations on special appointments not expressly authorized by Congress. The State Department may not implement any reduction-in-force actions unless it has provided justification to Congress. The State Department shall establish and implement a standard parental leave policy applicable to employees across all bureaus and offices. The State Department may waive various requirements related to hiring (1) certain employees with significant scientific, technological, or engineering expertise; or (2) Global Engagement Center employees. The State Department shall make certain efforts to promote diversity in its workforce, including expanding anti-harassment and antidiscrimination training and gathering data to devise ways to promote participation from a range of demographic categories in professional development programs. The State Department shall (1) semiannually consult with other departments and agencies regarding the security of certain information systems and commission independent penetration testing of such systems, (2) establish a process for security researchers to test State Department systems and submit information about discovered vulnerabilities, and (3) create a bug bounty program that provides rewards for information about previously unidentified security flaws in State Department information systems. The bill directs the State Department to take various actions to update its public diplomacy efforts, including establishing a Director of Research and Evaluation to assess existing programs. The State Department shall assess each country's capacity to combat public corruption. For countries that do not meet the minimum standards, the State Department shall utilize proper measures to combat corruption. The State Department shall establish a working group on security assistance, including activities such as peacekeeping and military financing assistance. The bill revises various requirements and limits related to such assistance and transferring defense articles to foreign countries. The State Department may designate an existing official to coordinate all U.S. government matters relating to the long-term disposition of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) detainees.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House), 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

Department of State Authorization Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

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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. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3352, Department of State Authorization Act of 2019 (2019-10-17)

Cosponsors on this site

Michael T. McCaul (R-TX)

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)

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.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr3352.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr3352 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116