To provide for the International Security Affairs authorities of the Department of State.
H.R. 5247 aims to reorganize and elevate the Department of State’s capacity to handle international security policy by creating a new Under Secretary for International Security Affairs. This position would oversee broad areas such as arms control, nonproliferation, disarmament, nuclear policy, international counterterrorism, transnational crime, narcotics, emerging threats, and political-military affairs. The bill establishes several new or rebranded offices and bureaus led by Assistant Secretaries (e.g., Political-Military Affairs; International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; Arms Control and Nonproliferation; Counterterrorism; Emerging Threats) and an Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, all intended to centralize policy development, interagency coordination, and program implementation. It also authorizes specific appropriations for 2026-2027 to fund these new structures and tasks, and it requires alignment of existing statutes to the new organizational framework. In addition to strategic leadership, the bill emphasizes addressing in-depth and evolving security challenges—ranging from traditional arms control to emerging technologies (like AI, biotechnology, quantum tech), space and polar domain issues, and transnational crime. It also strengthens the State Department’s leadership in trafficking prevention and response through a Director (Ambassador-at-Large) reporting to the Under Secretary, with interagency support and mandatory training and reporting requirements. Overall, the measure would significantly reshape how the State Department organizes, funds, and leads international security work.
Key Points
- 1Establishment of an Under Secretary for International Security Affairs within the Department of State, responsible for broad international security policy and related duties (arms control, nonproliferation, counterterrorism, narcotics, emerging threats, political-military affairs, etc.), with a mandate to oversee policy development, interagency coordination, and staff guidance.
- 2Creation of dedicated offices/bureaus led by new or renamed Assistant Secretaries:
- 3- Assistant Secretary for Political-MMilitary Affairs (coordination with DoD and foreign militaries)
- 4- Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (overall narcotics, anti-crime, and law enforcement programs)
- 5- Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (head by the Assistant Secretary)
- 6- Assistant Secretary for Arms Control and Nonproliferation (arms control and verification functions)
- 7- Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism (international counterterrorism leadership)
- 8- Assistant Secretary for Emerging Threats (emerging security threats, including AI, biotech, quantum tech; polar, space, and undersea diplomacy)
- 9- Bureau of Emerging Threats (head by the Assistant Secretary)
- 10Establishment of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking within the Department, reporting directly to the Under Secretary for day-to-day administration and coordination, headed by a Director with Ambassador-at-Large rank; authority to take evidence at hearings; interagency staff support; and responsibilities for policy, funding, reporting, training, and counter-trafficking program design.
- 11Authorization of appropriations for 2026-2027 to fund the Under Secretary and each Assistant Secretary/Bureau, with specific program areas (e.g., international military education and training, national security engagement account) and ensuring funds flow to the new organizational units.
- 12Section 415 cross-references to align existing statutes and titles with the new Under Secretary structure, ensuring terminology is consistent across laws and regulatory language.
- 13Section 416 directs the Office of Law Revision Counsel to classify the bill’s title in the U.S. Code and maintain historical editorial notes for previously repealed laws replaced by the new framework.