[Senate Report 110-459]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 958
110th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 110-459
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PUBLIC DIPLOMACY RESOURCE CENTERS ACT OF 2007
_______
September 12, 2008.--Ordered to be printed
Mr. Biden, from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2553]
The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under
consideration the bill H.R. 2553, to amend the State Department
Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to provide for the establishment
and maintenance of existing libraries and resource centers at
United States diplomatic and consular missions to provide
information about American culture, society, and history, and
for other purposes, reports favorably thereon with amendments
and recommends that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose..........................................................1
II. Committee Action.................................................1
III. Discussion.......................................................1
IV. Cost Estimate....................................................2
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................3
VI. Changes in Existing Law..........................................3
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this legislation is to promote increased
support for a public diplomacy tool, namely libraries and
resource centers abroad that are maintained and operated by the
Department of State.
II. COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 2553 was introduced on May 24, 2007. The House of
Representatives approved the bill on October 9, 2007 by a voice
vote. On June 24, 2008, the Committee on Foreign Relations
ordered the bill favorably reported by voice vote, after
approving several amendments to the bill.
III. DISCUSSION
U.S. public diplomacy is carried out by a range of
programs. One important program involves libraries and resource
centers, which are a means to allow foreign nationals access to
information that permit them to better understand American
culture and values. The 2003 report of the Advisory Group on
Public Diplomacy in the Arab and Muslim World, chaired by
retired diplomat Edward Djerejian, noted that these facilities
can ``bring a personal presence to American diplomacy that has
waned in recent years'' as well as ``provide an outpost for
public diplomacy in areas that have not been previously
targeted or are underrepresented,'' at a relatively minimal
cost.
Because security concerns and budget cuts following the end
of the Cold War have decreased access to American facilities
overseas at a time when the global image of the United States
is suffering, several reports that have reviewed public
diplomacy programs have echoed or expanded upon the findings of
the Djerejian panel in urging additional support for libraries.
Accordingly, the purpose of H.R. 2553 is to make clear in
statute that one of the duties of the Under Secretary of State
for Public Diplomacy is to provide for the establishment of new
and maintenance of existing libraries and resource centers at
or in connection with U.S. diplomatic mission. The bill further
instructs the Secretary of State to ensure that such facilities
are open to the general public the greatest extent practicable,
consistent with security requirements.
IV. COST ESTIMATE
In accordance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee provides this
estimate of the costs of this legislation prepared by the
Congressional Budget Office.
United States Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, July 2, 2008.
Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2553, the Public
Diplomacy Resources Centers Act of 2008.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sunita
D'Monte.
Sincerely,
Peter R. Orszag.
------
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
July 2, 2008.
H.R. 2553
Public Diplomacy Resources Centers Act of 2008
AS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON
JUNE 24, 2008
H.R. 2553 would authorize the Department of State to
establish and maintain libraries and resource centers at or
connected with U.S. diplomatic missions. It would require the
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy to report to the
Congress on the functions and effectiveness of the libraries
and resource centers. The department also would be required to
show American films to promote American culture, society,
history, and values. The act would authorize the appropriation
of such sums as may be necessary for those purposes.
The department has authority under current law to open and
maintain libraries and resource centers overseas. The United
States currently operates 378 American Corners and 182
Information Resource Centers worldwide. Both provide
information about the United States to overseas audiences, but
American Corners are generally established outside diplomatic
missions and in partnership with host country institutions.
Based on information from the department, CBO estimates that
the costs of screening American films and the new reporting
requirement would total less than $500,000 a year, assuming the
availability of appropriated funds. Enacting the legislation
would not affect direct spending or revenues.
H.R. 2553 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
On January 9, 2008, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for
H.R. 2553 as passed by the House of Representatives on October
9, 2007. The two versions of the legislation are similar, but
H.R. 2553 as passed by the House of Representatives would allow
libraries and resource centers to accept and spend donations.
CBO estimated the authority to accept and spend donations would
have no significant effect on direct spending or revenues.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Sunita D'Monte.
This estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT
Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is
no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation.
VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with rule XXVI, paragraph 12 of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill,
as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in
italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in
roman).
State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956
ORGANIZATION OF DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Section 1. (a) Secretary of State.--
* * * * * * *
(b) Under Secretaries.--
(1) In general.--* * *
* * * * * * *
(3) Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy.-- There
shall be in the Department of State, among the Under
Secretaries authorized by paragraph (1), an Under
Secretary for Public Diplomacy, who shall have primary
responsibility to assist the Secretary and the Deputy
Secretary in the formation and implementation of United
States public diplomacy policies and activities,
including international educational and cultural
exchange programs, information, and international
broadcasting.
The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy shall--
(A) prepare an annual strategic plan for
public diplomacy in collaboration with overseas
posts and in consultation with the regional and
functional bureaus of the Department;
(B) ensure the design and implementation of
appropriate program evaluation methodologies;
(C) provide guidance to Department personnel
in the United States and overseas who conduct
or implement public diplomacy policies,
programs, and activities;
(D) assist the United States Agency for
International Development and the Broadcasting
Board of Governors to present the policies of
the United States clearly and effectively;
[and]
(E) submit statements of United States policy
and editorial material to the Broadcasting
Board of Governors for broadcast
consideration[.] ; and
(F) provide for the establishment of new and
the maintenance of existing libraries and
resource centers at or in connection with
United States diplomatic and consular missions.