1 FAM Exhibit 311.2
Bureau of Legislative Affairs
(CT:ORG-433; 11-01-2017)
1 FAM 300 Liaison Functional Bureaus
1 FAM 310
BUREAU OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS (H)
(CT:ORG-433; 11-01-2017)
(Office of Origin: L-H/EX)
1 FAM 311 ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS (H)
1 FAM 311.1 Responsibilities
(CT:ORG-302; 03-21-2013)
a. Reports directly to the Secretary of State. Under the overall direction of the Secretary of State, directs and manages the Bureau of Legislative Affairs. He or she determines the number of legislative management officers.
b. Supervises and coordinates all legislative and nonlegislative relationships between the Department and the Congress, and supervises and coordinates all legislative relationships between the Department and the Office of Management and Budget, and between the Department and other Executive branch agencies.
c. Directs the presentation of the Department's legislative program, including developing, preparing, and submitting legislation to Congress.
d. Supervises and coordinates the relationship between the Department and the Congress on all budgetary and appropriations matters relating to foreign and security assistance and on arms sales abroad.
e. Provides advice and information to other Department bureaus and offices on legislative matters.
f. Serves as the initial point of contact in the Department for legislative inquiries.
g. Manages the Department's role in the OMB interagency (A-19) clearance process.
h. Manages and transmits correspondence and reports to the Congress, except for:
(1) Treaties and executive agreements, which the Office of the Legal Adviser (L) transmits;
(2) Anti-deficiency notifications, which the Bureau of Comptroller and Financial Services (CGFS) transmits;
(3) Reprogramming notifications for the State Operations Budget account, which the Under Secretary for Management (M) transmits; and
(4) Other such communications as directed by law, Executive order, or the Secretary.
i. Assists Congress in its official foreign travel and has the fiduciary responsibility for the expenditure of congressional travel funds.
j. Has substantive and coordinating responsibility for 1 FAM 310—Legislative Affairs (H). H also has substantive involvement responsibilities in other FAM and Foreign Affairs Handbook (FAH) materials (see 5 FAH-1 H-500).
1 FAM 311.2 Bureau Organization
(CT:ORG-199; 10-24-2008)
See 1 FAM Exhibit 311.2 for the H organization chart.
1 FAM 311.3 Authorities
(CT:ORG-134; 10-29-2004)
The following authorities apply:
(1) 22 U.S.C. 2651a and 22 U.S.C. 2656, general authorities of the Secretary of State for conducting foreign relations and managing the Department; and
(2) Other authorities, as appropriate.
1 FAM 312 DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARIES
(CT:ORG-433; 11-01-2017)
a. The Deputy Assistant Secretaries in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs, as designated by and at the direction of the Assistant Secretary:
(1) Manage and direct the Department's legislative program in the House or the Senate;
(2) Recommend action programs and advise the Assistant Secretary on events and developments concerning the Department's legislative program in the House or the Senate;
(3) Serve as the liaison between the Assistant Secretary and other areas of the Department in developing information and preparing policy statements, reports, or speeches for Members of the House or Senate, or House or Senate committees;
(4) Manage the confirmation of Presidential appointees that require the advice and consent of the Senate;
(5) Advise the Assistant Secretary on approaches to be used in keeping the Congress informed on the substantive aspects of the Department's current and proposed policies and programs;
(6) Develop and implement legislative strategies; prepare legislative positions and action plans; and serve as a chief point of contact for foreign policy and Department initiatives presented to the Congress on behalf of the Department Under Secretary they represent; and
(7) Supervise and direct the activities of several legislative management officers with responsibilities for legislative programs of designated bureaus.
b. There are four Deputy Assistant Secretaries; each acts as liaison between the Department of State bureaus and Congress in matters concerning nominations, briefings, hearings, congressional testimony, etc.
(1) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (Career Foreign Service), who acts in the absence of the Assistant Secretary and oversees the Executive Office (L-H/EX) of the bureau.
(2) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional/Global/Functional Affairs, who oversees the Offices for Regional Affairs (H/RA) and Global and Functional Affairs (H/GFA), the Legislative Advisor and H’s Appropriations Unit (H/Approps).
(3) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Senate Affairs, who oversees Senate Affairs (H/SA).
(4) Deputy Assistant Secretary for House of Representatives Affairs, who oversees House Affairs (H/HA).
1 FAM 313 LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS OfficeS
(CT:ORG-433; 11-01-2017)
a. The Bureau of Legislative Affairs consists of the following organizational units:
(1) Regional Affairs (H/RA) liaisons with the regional bureaus for coordinating regional foreign affairs and international relations issues of major importance to the Secretary of State. This unit reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional/Global/Functional Affairs.
(2) Global and Functional Affairs (H/GFA)—Liaisons with the functional bureaus for coordinating global affairs and international relations issues of major importance to the Secretary of State. This unit reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional/Global/Functional Affairs.
(3) Senate Affairs (H/SA)—Works with legislation and treaties and keeps Department officials informed of committee positions and tracks the Department’s nominations and confirmation process. This unit reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Senate Affairs.
(4) House Affairs (H/HA)—Works with legislation and keeps Department officials informed of committee positions. This unit reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for House Affairs.
(5) Appropriations Unit (H/Approps)—Responsible for the Department’s interactions with the Senate and House Appropriations Committees and Subcommittees overseeing State and Foreign Operations appropriations. This unit reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional/Global/Functional Affairs.
(6) Legislative Advisor—Serves as legislative strategist, develops and provides strategic, substantive legislative guidance and technical expertise to Assistant Secretary and Deputies for developing and presenting Department views on legislation related to foreign policy, assistance, national security, and Department operations, as well as that of other agencies affecting State equities, and identifies needed special legislative authorities; reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional/Global/Functional Affairs.
(7) Executive Office (L-H/EX) and Legislative Operations (H):
(a) Oversees the administrative support for the H Bureau and acts as the Department's principal liaison with Congress on congressional travel, hearing testimony and congressional correspondence issues;
(b) Facilitates official foreign travel of Member and staff delegations and coordinates the presentation of trip related briefings to members and committees of Congress (H/CTO);
(c) Coordinates Department response to written telephonic and electronic communications by Members of Congress (H/CCU);
(d) Oversees the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance process for legislation and official testimony before Congress and maintains records of all relevant mandated congressional reports and hearings (H/LRU); and
(e) Develops and implements the Bureau’s short and long-term management and administrative policies, goals, and objectives and oversees the financial, personnel, information technology, support services, and material resources of the Bureau (L-H/EX).
(f) The Executive Director reports to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary.
b. These offices, at the discretion of their respective Deputy Assistant Secretaries:
(1) Manage the daily coordination of interagency legislative initiatives that may affect the Department and the Administration through the Legislative Management Officer (LMO);
(2) Develop and manage strategies and approaches that will enhance the support for the Department and the Administration;
(3) Compile and analyze each day’s congressional activities to assess the effectiveness of the assigned staff and the political climate on a broad range of international topics;
(4) Brief Department seniors and interagency seniors on the activities and reactions of Congress on pending legislative initiatives and recommend approaches for resolving possible conflicts;
(5) Confer with the respective Deputy Assistant Secretary and other Department seniors to exchange views and approaches in order to enhance the Department’s engagement with Congress; and
(6) Establish and maintain productive relationships with congressional committee members and their staffs to carry out the responsibilities of the office.
1 FAM 314 THROUGH 319 UNASSIGNED