Sec. 6709. Institute for Transatlantic Engagement
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/bill/118/hr/2670/enr/section-6709·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary of State is authorized to establish the Institute for Transatlantic Engagement (referred to in this section as the Institute ). The purpose of any Institute established pursuant to subsection
(a)shall be to strengthen national security by highlighting, to a geographically diverse set of populations from the United States, Canada, and European nations, the importance of the transatlantic relationship and the threats posed by adversarial countries, such as the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, to democracy, free-market economic principles, and human rights. Any Institute established pursuant to subsection
(a)shall be headed by a Director, to be appointed by the Secretary, who shall have expertise in transatlantic relations and diverse populations in the United States and Europe. Any Institute established pursuant to subsection
(a)shall— strengthen knowledge among participants of the formation and implementation of transatlantic policies critical to national security, including the threats posed by the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China; increase awareness among participants of the roles of government and nongovernmental actors, such as multilateral organizations, businesses, civil society actors, academia, think tanks, and philanthropic institutions, in transatlantic policy development and execution; increase understanding among participants of the manner in which diverse backgrounds and perspectives affect the development of transatlantic policies; enhance the skills, abilities, and effectiveness of participating government officials; increase awareness among participants of the importance of, and interest in, international public service careers; not less than 3 times annually, convene representatives of the United States Government, the Government of Canada, and of governments of European nations for a program offered by the Institute; and develop metrics to track the success and efficacy of the program which shall be reported to the appropriate congressional committees and prior to the convening of the first program described in paragraph (6). Participants in the programs of the Institute shall include elected government officials— serving at national, regional, or local levels in the United States, Canada, and European nations; and who represent geographically diverse backgrounds or constituencies in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Participants from the United States shall be appointed in an equally divided manner by— the chairpersons and ranking members of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; the majority leader of the Senate and the minority leader of the Senate; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the minority leader of the House of Representatives. Participants from Europe and Canada shall be appointed by the Secretary of State, in consultation with— the chairpersons and ranking members of the appropriate congressional committees; the majority leader of the Senate and the minority leader of the Senate; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the minority leader of the House of Representatives. Participants in the Institute may not be paid a salary for such participation. The Institute may pay or reimburse participants for reasonable travel, lodging, and food in connection with participation in the program. No funds authorized to be appropriated under subsection
(h)may be used for travel for members of Congress to participate in Institute activities. There is authorized to be appropriated up to $750,000 for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to carry out this section. The authority provided by this section terminates on December 31, 2025.