HR 5251119th CongressIntroduced

To provide for the public diplomacy authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes.

Introduced: Sep 10, 2025

Defense & National Security

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.R. 5251 seeks to overhaul and formalize the Department of State’s public diplomacy authorities. It creates a centralized leadership structure led by an Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy who would coordinate global public diplomacy, foreign information operations, strategic communications, and international educational and cultural exchanges. The bill also establishes two new assistant secretaries—Educational and Cultural Affairs, and Strategic Communications—each with specific responsibilities. In addition, it authorizes funding for 2026 and 2027 to support these functions, maintains the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and adds a new, explicitly regional approach to public diplomacy through regional teams. The bill includes interagency coordination provisions, such as chairing meetings with other federal agencies and G7 partners, and makes some administrative changes to U.S. Code classification.

Key Points

1Establishment of an Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy at the Department of State, with broad responsibility for global public diplomacy, information operations targeting foreign audiences, strategic communications, and related duties; includes regional public diplomacy teams and interagency coordination functions.
2Creation of two new Assistant Secretaries reporting to the Under Secretary:
3- Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs: oversees educational, cultural, and professional exchange programs; integrates exchanges into global planning; promotes efficiencies and public-private partnerships.
4- Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications: oversees foreign policy messaging, information operations, U.S.-funded media, an Office of Global Distribution and News Services, and efforts to promote internet freedom and counter censorship.
5Reaffirmation and staffing of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (head by the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs) and funding authorization for 2026-2027 to support these bureaus and their activities.
6Authorization of funding for the Under Secretary and the two Assistant Secretaries for fiscal years 2026 and 2027; includes organizational and programmatic responsibilities such as regional implementation plans and performance evaluations.
7Repeal of a longstanding restriction on use of funds for international expositions (a limited, technical policy change).
8Administrative housekeeping to reclassify certain sections of U.S. Code and maintain legislative history.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- U.S. Department of State leadership, especially the Public Diplomacy workforce, regional bureaus, and overseas posts.- U.S.-funded media entities and all personnel involved in public diplomacy, educational and cultural exchange programs, and strategic communications.- Foreign audiences receiving U.S. policy messages and cultural programs.Secondary group/area affected:- Other U.S. government agencies involved in public messaging and foreign information tools (Defense, Commerce, Treasury, intelligence community) and international partners (e.g., G7 members) through interagency coordination.- Educational, cultural, and professional exchange participants, partner organizations in the private and nonprofit sectors, and contractors supporting public diplomacy activities.Additional impacts:- Potential for more centralized budgeting and strategic planning for public diplomacy and related activities.- Emphasis on regional implementation, measurable outcomes, and evaluation of programs.- Administrative changes to U.S. Code classifications and clarified authorities for future legislative alignment.

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