What This Bill Does
This bill asks the State Department to improve how it measures the success of public diplomacy programs (efforts to build relationships and understanding between the U.S. and foreign countries). The bill also requires the State Department to reduce duplicate work across different public diplomacy offices and create better plans for managing its physical locations overseas.
Who It Affects
The State Department and its public diplomacy bureaus and offices. Foreign Service officers who work in public diplomacy. Congress. The U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. The United States Agency for Global Media.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of State must identify ways to make public diplomacy operations more efficient and share resources between duplicate or overlapping programs, facilities, or administrative functions (Sec. 2)
- The Secretary of State must appoint a Director of Research and Evaluation within 90 days to oversee research and evaluation of all public diplomacy programs using audience research (studying what foreign audiences think), digital analytics (measuring online performance), and impact evaluations (measuring whether programs achieve their goals) (Sec. 3(b))
- The Director of Research and Evaluation must create guidance and training within one year for all public diplomacy officers on how to understand and use evaluation findings in planning future programs (Sec. 3(b)(4))
- The Secretary of State must establish a working group within 60 days to study whether public diplomacy offices can share human resources, travel, purchasing, and budgeting services (Sec. 4(a))
- The Secretary of State must create guidelines within 180 days for deciding whether to close public diplomacy facilities (like American Centers or American Spaces) when building new embassy or consulate buildings (Sec. 5(a))
What Changes
If this becomes law, the State Department will be required to regularly measure how well its public diplomacy programs work. It will create a new position called Director of Research and Evaluation. It will study ways to reduce duplicate work and share resources across public diplomacy offices. It will create a formal process before closing any public diplomacy facilities overseas. Congress will receive regular reports on public diplomacy research and evaluation findings.
Important Definitions
- Audience research: Research done at the beginning of a public diplomacy program to understand what a specific group of people thinks, knows, and does
- Digital analytics: Analysis of data collected online that shows what a public diplomacy program produced and accomplished
- Impact evaluation: An assessment of changes in a target audience that can be traced directly to a public diplomacy program or campaign
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1356
To modernize and streamline the public diplomacy capabilities of the Depart-
ment of State, increase evaluation of public diplomacy programming,
enhance strategic planning for the Department’s public diplomacy phys-
ical presence abroad, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 3, 2023
Mr. MEUSER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
A BILL
To modernize and streamline the public diplomacy capabili-
ties of the Department of State, increase evaluation of
public diplomacy programming, enhance strategic plan-
ning for the Department’s public diplomacy physical
presence abroad, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public Diplomacy Mod-
4
ernization Act of 2023’’.
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SEC. 2. AVOIDING DUPLICATION OF PROGRAMS AND EF-
1
FORTS.
2
The Secretary of State shall—
3
(1) identify opportunities for greater efficiency
4
of operations, including through improved coordina-
5
tion of efforts across public diplomacy bureaus and
6
offices of the Department of State; and
7
(2) maximize shared use of resources between,
8
and within, such public diplomacy bureaus and of-
9
fices in cases in which programs, facilities, or admin-
10
istrative functions are duplicative or substantially
11
overlapping.
12
SEC. 3. IMPROVING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION OF PUB-
13
LIC DIPLOMACY.
14
(a) RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES.—The
15
Secretary of State, acting through the Director of Re-
16
search and Evaluation appointed pursuant to subsection
17
(b), shall—
18
(1) conduct regular research and evaluation of
19
public diplomacy programs and activities of the De-
20
partment, including through the routine use of audi-
21
ence research, digital analytics, and impact evalua-
22
tions, to plan and execute such programs and activi-
23
ties; and
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(2) make available to Congress the findings of
1
the research and evaluations conducted under para-
2
graph (1).
3
(b) DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION.—
4
(1) APPOINTMENT.—Not later than 90 days
5
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
6
retary of State shall appoint a Director of Research
7
and Evaluation (referred to in this subsection as the
8
‘‘Director’’) in the Office of Policy, Planning, and
9
Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
10
of the Department.
11
(2) LIMITATION
ON
APPOINTMENT.—The ap-
12
pointment of the Director pursuant to paragraph (1)
13
shall not result in an increase in the overall full-time
14
equivalent positions within the Department of State.
15
(3) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Director shall—
16
(A) coordinate and oversee the research
17
and evaluation of public diplomacy programs
18
and activities of the Department of State in
19
order to—
20
(i) improve public diplomacy strate-
21
gies and tactics; and
22
(ii) ensure that such programs and
23
activities are increasing the knowledge, un-
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•HR 1356 IH
derstanding, and trust of the United
1
States by relevant target audiences;
2
(B) routinely organize and oversee audi-
3
ence research, digital analytics, and impact
4
evaluations across all public diplomacy bureaus
5
and offices of the Department;
6
(C) support United States diplomatic
7
posts’ public affairs sections;
8
(D) share appropriate public diplomacy re-
9
search and evaluation information within the
10
Department and with other appropriate Federal
11
departments and agencies;
12
(E) regularly design and coordinate stand-
13
ardized research questions, methodologies, and
14
procedures to ensure that public diplomacy pro-
15
grams and activities across all public diplomacy
16
bureaus and offices are designed to meet appro-
17
priate foreign policy objectives; and
18
(F) report biannually to the United States
19
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy,
20
through the Subcommittee on Research and
21
Evaluation established pursuant to subsection
22
(f), regarding the research and evaluation of all
23
public diplomacy bureaus and offices.
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(4) GUIDANCE AND TRAINING.—Not later than
1
one year after the appointment of the Director pur-
2
suant to paragraph (1), the Director shall develop
3
guidance and training, including curriculum for use
4
by the Foreign Service Institute, for all public diplo-
5
macy officers of the Department regarding the read-
6
ing and interpretation of public diplomacy program
7
and activity evaluation findings to ensure that such
8
findings and related lessons learned are implemented
9
in the planning and evaluation of all public diplo-
10
macy programs and activities of the Department.
11
(c) PRIORITIZING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION.—
12
(1) IN GENERAL.—The head of the Office of
13
Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplo-
14
macy and Public Affairs of the Department of State
15
shall ensure that research and evaluation of public
16
diplomacy and activities of the Department, as co-
17
ordinated and overseen by the Director pursuant to
18
subsection (b), supports strategic planning and re-
19
source allocation across all public diplomacy bureaus
20
and offices of the Department.
21
(2) ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.—Amounts al-
22
located for the purpose of research and evaluation of
23
public diplomacy programs and activities of the De-
24
partment of State pursuant to subsection (b) shall
25
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•HR 1356 IH
be made available to be disbursed at the direction of
1
the Director of Research and Evaluation among the
2
research and evaluation staff across all public diplo-
3
macy bureaus and offices of the Department.
4
(3) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of
5
Congress that the Department of State should
6
gradually increase its allocation of funds made avail-
7
able under the headings ‘‘Educational and Cultural
8
Exchange Programs’’ and ‘‘Diplomatic Programs’’
9
for research and evaluation of public diplomacy pro-
10
grams and activities of the Department pursuant to
11
subsection (b) to a percentage of program funds that
12
is commensurate with Federal Government best
13
practices.
14
(d) LIMITED EXEMPTION RELATING TO THE PAPER-
15
WORK REDUCTION ACT.—Chapter 35 of title 44, United
16
States Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Paperwork Reduc-
17
tion Act’’) shall not apply to the collection of information
18
directed at any individuals conducted by, or on behalf of,
19
the Department of State for the purpose of audience re-
20
search, monitoring, and evaluations, and in connection
21
with the Department’s activities conducted pursuant to
22
any of the following:
23
(1) The Mutual Educational and Cultural Ex-
24
change Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.).
25
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•HR 1356 IH
(2) Section 1287 of the National Defense Au-
1
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law
2
114–328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note).
3
(3) The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
4
U.S.C. 2151 et seq.).
5
(e) LIMITED EXEMPTION RELATING TO THE PRI-
6
VACY ACT.—
7
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Department of State
8
shall maintain, collect, use, and disseminate records
9
(as such term is defined in section 552a(a)(4) of
10
title 5, United States Code) for audience research,
11
digital analytics, and impact evaluation of commu-
12
nications related to public diplomacy efforts intended
13
for foreign audiences.
14
(2) CONDITIONS.—Audience research, digital
15
analytics, and impact evaluations under paragraph
16
(1) shall be—
17
(A) reasonably tailored to meet the pur-
18
poses of this subsection; and
19
(B) carried out with due regard for privacy
20
and civil liberties guidance and oversight.
21
(f) UNITED STATES ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PUB-
22
LIC DIPLOMACY.—
23
(1) SUBCOMMITTEE FOR RESEARCH AND EVAL-
24
UATION.—The United States Advisory Commission
25
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•HR 1356 IH
on Public Diplomacy shall establish a Subcommittee
1
on Research and Evaluation to monitor and advise
2
regarding audience research, digital analytics, and
3
impact evaluations carried out by the Department of
4
State and the United States Agency for Global
5
Media.
6
(2) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Subcommittee on
7
Research and Evaluation established pursuant to
8
paragraph (1) shall submit to the Committee on
9
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and
10
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate
11
an annual report, in conjunction with the United
12
States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy’s
13
Comprehensive Annual Report on the performance
14
of the Department of State and the United States
15
Agency for Global Media, describing all actions
16
taken by the Subcommittee pursuant to paragraph
17
(1) and any findings made as a result of such ac-
18
tions.
19
SEC. 4. STREAMLINING OF SUPPORT FUNCTIONS.
20
(a) WORKING GROUP ESTABLISHED.—Not later than
21
60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
22
Secretary of State shall establish a working group to ex-
23
plore the possibilities and cost-benefit analysis of
24
transitioning to a shared services model as such pertains
25
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•HR 1356 IH
to human resources, travel, purchasing, budgetary plan-
1
ning, and all other executive support functions for all bu-
2
reaus of the Department of State that report to the Under
3
Secretary for Public Diplomacy of the Department.
4
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date
5
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
6
submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
7
of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Rela-
8
tions of the Senate a plan to implement any such findings
9
of the working group established under subsection (a).
10
SEC. 5. GUIDANCE FOR CLOSURE OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
11
FACILITIES.
12
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the
13
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State
14
shall adopt, and include in the Foreign Affairs Manual,
15
guidelines to collect and utilize information from each dip-
16
lomatic post at which the construction of a new embassy
17
compound or new consulate compound would result in the
18
closure or co-location of an American Space, American
19
Center, American Corner, or any other public diplomacy
20
facility under the Secure Embassy Construction and
21
Counterterrorism Act of 1999 (22 U.S.C. 4865 et seq.).
22
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The guidelines required by
23
subsection (a) shall include the following:
24
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(1) Standardized notification to each chief of
1
mission at a diplomatic post describing the require-
2
ments of the Secure Embassy Construction and
3
Counterterrorism Act of 1999 and the impact on the
4
mission footprint of such requirements.
5
(2) An assessment and recommendations from
6
each chief of mission of potential impacts to public
7
diplomacy programming at such diplomatic post if
8
any public diplomacy facility referred to in section
9
(a) is closed or staff is co-located in accordance with
10
such Act.
11
(3) A process by which assessments and rec-
12
ommendations under paragraph (2) are considered
13
by the Secretary of State and the appropriate Under
14
Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries of the Depart-
15
ment of State.
16
(4) Notification to the Committee on Foreign
17
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the
18
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, prior
19
to the initiation of a new embassy compound or new
20
consulate compound design, of the intent to close
21
any such public diplomacy facility or co-locate public
22
diplomacy staff in accordance with such Act.
23
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date
24
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
25
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•HR 1356 IH
submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
1
of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Rela-
2
tions of the Senate a report containing the guidelines re-
3
quired under subsection (a) and any recommendations for
4
any modifications to such guidelines.
5
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
6
In this Act:
7
(1) AUDIENCE
RESEARCH.—The term ‘‘audi-
8
ence research’’ means research conducted at the out-
9
set of a public diplomacy program or the outset of
10
campaign planning and design regarding specific au-
11
dience segments to understand the attitudes, inter-
12
ests, knowledge, and behaviors of such audience seg-
13
ments.
14
(2) DIGITAL
ANALYTICS.—The term ‘‘digital
15
analytics’’ means the analysis of qualitative and
16
quantitative data, accumulated in digital format, to
17
indicate the outputs and outcomes of a public diplo-
18
macy program or campaign.
19
(3) IMPACT EVALUATION.—The term ‘‘impact
20
evaluation’’ means an assessment of the changes in
21
the audience targeted by a public diplomacy program
22
or campaign that can be attributed to such program
23
or campaign.
24
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(4) PUBLIC
DIPLOMACY
BUREAUS
AND
OF-
1
FICES.—The term ‘‘public diplomacy bureaus and
2
offices’’ means, with respect to the Department, the
3
following:
4
(A) The Bureau of Educational and Cul-
5
tural Affairs.
6
(B) The Bureau of Global Public Affairs.
7
(C) The Office of Policy, Planning, and
8
Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Af-
[Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]