Sec. 227. Enhanced authorities to protect locally employed staff during emergencies
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It is the sense of Congress that— locally employed staff provide essential contributions at United States diplomatic and consular posts around the world, including by providing— security to United States government personnel serving in the country; advice, expertise, and other services for the promotion of political, economic, public affairs, commercial, security, and other interests of critical importance to the United States; a wide range of logistical and administrative support to every office in each mission working to advance United States interests around the world, including services and support vital to the upkeep and maintenance of United States missions; consular services to support the welfare and well-being of United States citizens and to provide for the expeditious processing of visa applications; institutional memory on a wide range of embassy engagements on bilateral issues; and enduring connections to host country contacts, both inside and outside the host government, including within media, civil society, the business community, academia, the armed forces, and elsewhere; and locally employed staff make important contributions that should warrant the United States Government to give due consideration for their security and safety when diplomatic missions face emergency situations.
In emergency situations, in addition to other authorities that may be available in emergencies or other exigent circumstances, the Secretary is authorized to use funds made available to the Department to provide support to ensure the safety and security of locally employed staff and their immediate family members, including for— providing transport or relocating locally employed staff and their immediate family members to a safe and secure environment; providing short-term housing or lodging for up to six months for locally employed staff and their immediate family members; procuring or providing other essential items and services to support the safety and security of locally employed staff and their immediate family members.
To ensure the safety and security of locally employed staff and their immediate family members consistent with this section, Chiefs of Missions are authorized to allow locally employed staff and their immediate family members to reside temporarily in the residences of United States direct hire employees, either in the host country or other countries, provided that such stays are offered voluntarily by United States direct hire employees. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall amend the Foreign Affairs Manual to reflect the authorizations and requirements of this section.
In this section, the term emergency situation means armed conflict, civil unrest, natural disaster, or other types of instability that pose a threat to the safety and security of locally employed staff, particularly when and if a United States diplomatic or consular post must suspend operations. No later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees describing prior actions the Department has taken with regard to locally employed staff and their immediate family members following suspensions or closures of United States diplomatic posts over the prior 4 years, including Kyiv, Kabul, Minsk, and Khartoum.
The report required under paragraph
(1)shall— describe any actions the Department took to assist locally employed staff and their immediate family members; identify any obstacles that made providing support or assistance to locally employed staff and their immediate family members difficult; examine lessons learned and propose recommendations to better protect the safety and security of locally employed staff and their family members, including any additional authorities that may be required; and provide an analysis of and offer recommendations on any other steps that could improve efforts to protect the safety and security of locally employed staff and their immediate family members.