Sec. 703. Regional civilian interagency mechanism study
357 words·~2 min read·
/bill/117/hr/8788/ih/section-703·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and other appropriate organizations and governmental agencies, shall conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of establishing regional civilian interagency mechanisms, as described in the findings and recommendations of the Report on Gray Zone Activities published in 2017 by the Department’s International Security Advisory Board.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the results of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a). The report required under subsection
(b)shall include the following elements: An assessment of the challenges that the Department faces within the current interagency process in deliberating, shaping, and implementing United States foreign policy. An assessment of the feasibility of establishing an independent, civilian counterpart mechanism to the Combatant Commands of the Department of Defense. An assessment of what challenges, particularly in countering gray zone threats, these mechanisms might help resolve by coordinating policy execution across all instruments of national power. An assessment of what opportunities, including in gray zone activities, these mechanisms might better exploit by coordinating policy execution across all instruments of national power. As assessment of what other agencies should be included in these regional mechanisms to help better facilitate the execution of United States foreign policy. An assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of the various organizational structures (or other models that the Secretary determines appropriate) outlined in the Report on Gray Zone Activities published in 2017 by the Department’s International Security Advisory Board. An assessment of the risks and benefits of collocating such civilian mechanisms with the combatant commands (or additional locations that the Secretary determines appropriate), including an estimation and description of any costs associated with creating these entities. An assessment of what efficiencies and inefficiencies would result by the creation of such coordinating mechanisms, the associated risks of these new entities, and plausible options to mitigate such risks. A description of the resources and authorizations that would be required to establish such civilian mechanisms.