Sec. 404. Refocusing international security efforts for strategic competition
564 words·~3 min read·
/bill/118/s/5491/is/section-404A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— the size of the United States diplomatic corps and Department of State civil service personnel must be sufficient to meet the current and emerging security challenges of the 21st century, particularly those posed by the PRC and Russia; an increased focus on the PRC in the international security sphere is necessary to achieve Department of State objectives in strategic affairs and nonproliferation; this effort must be implemented with a focus on increasing the number of Foreign Service Officers and civil servants at the Department of State to— ensure the Department is resourced at sufficient levels to ensure that diplomatic tools remain central to the implementation of a long-term competitive strategy with the PRC; and coordinate with allies and partners efforts to improve the security of United States and allied interests in the face of the PRC’s military modernization and expansion; emerging technologies such as cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, space, hypersonic missiles, fractional orbit bombardment system and advances in missile defense systems will increasingly impact the strategic balance between the United States and its great power adversaries; and strategic threats will be increasingly addressed through risk reduction measures such as the promotion of international norms in multilateral forums, increasing communication and fostering predictability with adversaries, and close cooperation and security integration with allies and partners.
It shall be the policy of the United States— to ensure Department of State funding levels for international security reflect the importance and significance of the Indo-Pacific region to the political, economic, and security interests of the United States; and to increase funding and the proportion of personnel dedicated to the Indo-Pacific region respective to the Department of State’s International Security budget. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress an action plan with the following elements:
Identification of requirements to advance United States international security objectives in the Indo-Pacific and the personnel and budgetary resources needed to meet them, assuming an unconstrained resource environment. Identification of offices responsible for managing bilateral and multilateral arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament agreements that are expired, are expiring, or that have not been implemented since calendar year 2021 with the objective of revising their mission to focus on competitive strategies and risk reduction initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region.
A plan to increase the size of the Department’s international security budget. Budgeting dedicated to the Indo-Pacific, including the reallocation of personnel and resources, with a focus on the threat posed by PRC military modernization and expansion. A plan to increase the number of positions in bureaus that report to the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security and overseas missions with responsibility for the Indo-Pacific region, including a description of increases and a description of how such increases in personnel will advance United States objectives in the Indo-Pacific region.
Defined concrete and annual benchmarks that the Department will meet in implementing the action plan. A description of any barriers to implementing the action plan. Not later than 180 days after submitting the action plan required under subsection (c), and every 180 days thereafter for 2 years, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an update on the implementation of the action plan, including supporting data and a detailed assessment of benchmarks reached.