U.S. Code > Title 22 Foreign Relations and Intercourse > CHAPTER 38—DEPARTMENT OF STATE (§§ 2651—2734a) > § 2651a. Organization of Department of State

§ 2651a. Organization of Department of State

(a) Secretary of State
(1) The Department of State shall be administered, in accordance with this Act and other provisions of law, under the supervision and direction of the Secretary of State (hereinafter referred to as the “Secretary”).
(2) The Secretary, the Deputy Secretary of State, and the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(3)
(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as provided in this section, the Secretary shall have and exercise any authority vested by law in any office or official of the Department of State. The Secretary shall administer, coordinate, and direct the Foreign Service of the United States and the personnel of the Department of State, except where authority is inherent in or vested in the President.
(B)
(i) The Secretary shall not have the authority of the Inspector General or the Chief Financial Officer.
(ii) The Secretary shall not have any authority given expressly to diplomatic or consular officers.
(4) The Secretary is authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Secretary of State and the Department of State. Unless otherwise specified in law, the Secretary may delegate authority to perform any of the functions of the Secretary or the Department to officers and employees under the direction and supervision of the Secretary. The Secretary may delegate the authority to redelegate any such functions.
(b) Under Secretaries
(1) In general
There shall be in the Department of State not more than 6 Under Secretaries of State, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall be compensated at the rate provided for at level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5.
(2) Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security
There shall be in the Department of State, among the Under Secretaries authorized by paragraph (1), an Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, who shall assist the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in matters related to international security policy, arms control, and nonproliferation. Subject to the direction of the President, the Under Secretary may attend and participate in meetings of the National Security Council in his role as Senior Advisor to the President and the Secretary of State on Arms Control and Nonproliferation Matters.
(3) Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy
There shall be in the Department of State, among the Under Secretaries authorized by paragraph (1), an Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, who shall have primary responsibility to assist the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in the formation and implementation of United States public diplomacy policies and activities, including international educational and cultural exchange programs, information, and international broadcasting. The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy shall—
(A) prepare an annual strategic plan for public diplomacy in collaboration with overseas posts and in consultation with the regional and functional bureaus of the Department;
(B) ensure the design and implementation of appropriate program evaluation methodologies;
(C) provide guidance to Department personnel in the United States and overseas who conduct or implement public diplomacy policies, programs, and activities;
(D) assist the United States Agency for International Development and the Broadcasting Board of Governors to present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively; and
(E) submit statements of United States policy and editorial material to the Broadcasting Board of Governors for broadcast consideration.
(4) Nomination of Under Secretaries
Whenever the President submits to the Senate a nomination of an individual for appointment to a position in the Department of State that is described in paragraph (1), the President shall designate the particular Under Secretary position in the Department of State that the individual shall have.
(c) Assistant Secretaries
(1) In general
There shall be in the Department of State not more than 24 Assistant Secretaries of State, each of whom shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall be compensated at the rate provided for at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5.
(2) Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
(A) There shall be in the Department of State an Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor who shall be responsible to the Secretary of State for matters pertaining to human rights and humanitarian affairs (including matters relating to prisoners of war and members of the United States Armed Forces missing in action) in the conduct of foreign policy and such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. The Secretary of State shall carry out the Secretary’s responsibility under section 2304 of this title through the Assistant Secretary.
(B) The Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor shall maintain continuous observation and review all matters pertaining to human rights and humanitarian affairs (including matters relating to prisoners of war and members of the United States Armed Forces missing in action) in the conduct of foreign policy including the following:
(i) Gathering detailed information regarding humanitarian affairs and the observance of and respect for internationally recognized human rights in each country to which requirements of sections 2151n and 2304 of this title are relevant.
(ii) Preparing the statements and reports to Congress required under section 2304 of this title.
(iii) Making recommendations to the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the Agency for International Development regarding compliance with sections 2151n and 2304 of this title, and as part of the Assistant Secretary’s overall policy responsibility for the creation of United States Government human rights policy, advising the Administrator of the Agency for International Development on the policy framework under which section 2151n (e) projects are developed and consulting with the Administrator on the selection and implementation of such projects.
(iv) Performing other responsibilities which serve to promote increased observance of internationally recognized human rights by all countries.
(3) Nomination of Assistant Secretaries
Whenever the President submits to the Senate a nomination of an individual for appointment to a position in the Department of State that is described in paragraph (1), the President shall designate the regional or functional bureau or bureaus of the Department of State with respect to which the individual shall have responsibility.
(d) Other senior officials
In addition to officials of the Department of State who are otherwise authorized to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and to be compensated at level IV of the Executive Schedule of [1] section 5315 of title 5 four other such appointments are authorized.
(e) Coordinator for Counterterrorism
(1) In general
There is within the office of the Secretary of State a Coordinator for Counterterrorism (in this paragraph referred to as the “Coordinator”) who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(2) Duties
(A) In general
The Coordinator shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the Secretary of State shall prescribe.
(B) Duties described
The principal duty of the Coordinator shall be the overall supervision (including policy oversight of resources) of international counterterrorism activities. The Coordinator shall be the principal adviser to the Secretary of State on international counterterrorism matters. The Coordinator shall be the principal counterterrorism official within the senior management of the Department of State and shall report directly to the Secretary of State.
(3) Rank and status of Ambassador
The Coordinator shall have the rank and status of Ambassador at Large.
(f) HIV/AIDS Response Coordinator
(1) In general
There shall be established within the Department of State in the immediate office of the Secretary of State a Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Coordinator shall report directly to the Secretary.
(2) Authorities and duties; definitions
(A) Authorities
The Coordinator, acting through such nongovernmental organizations (including faith-based and community-based organizations), partner country finance, health, and other relevant ministries, and relevant executive branch agencies as may be necessary and appropriate to effect the purposes of this section, is authorized—
(i) to operate internationally to carry out prevention, care, treatment, support, capacity development, and other activities for combatting HIV/AIDS;
(ii) to transfer and allocate funds to relevant executive branch agencies; and
(iii) to provide grants to, and enter into contracts with, nongovernmental organizations (including faith-based and community-based organizations), partner country finance, health, and other relevant ministries, to carry out the purposes of section.
(B) Duties
(i) In general The Coordinator shall have primary responsibility for the oversight and coordination of all resources and international activities of the United States Government to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic, including all programs, projects, and activities of the United States Government relating to the HIV/AIDS pandemic under the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 [22 U.S.C. 7601 et seq.] or any amendment made by that Act.
(ii) Specific duties The duties of the Coordinator shall specifically include the following:
(I) Ensuring program and policy coordination among the relevant executive branch agencies and nongovernmental organizations, including auditing, monitoring, and evaluation of all such programs.
(II) Ensuring that each relevant executive branch agency undertakes programs primarily in those areas where the agency has the greatest expertise, technical capabilities, and potential for success.
(III) Avoiding duplication of effort.
(IV) Establishing an interagency working group on HIV/AIDS headed by the Global AIDS Coordinator and comprised of representatives from the United States Agency for International Development and the Department of Health and Human Services, for the purposes of coordination of activities relating to HIV/AIDS, including—
(aa) meeting regularly to review progress in partner countries toward HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care objectives;
(bb) participating in the process of identifying countries to consider for increased assistance based on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in those countries, including clear evidence of a public health threat, as well as government commitment to address the HIV/AIDS problem, relative need, and coordination and joint planning with other significant actors;
(cc) assisting the Coordinator in the evaluation, execution, and oversight of country operational plans;
(dd) reviewing policies that may be obstacles to reaching targets set forth for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care; and
(ee) consulting with representatives from additional relevant agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Department of Labor, the Department of Agriculture, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Peace Corps, and the Department of Defense.
(V) Coordinating overall United States HIV/AIDS policy and programs, including ensuring the coordination of relevant executive branch agency activities in the field, with efforts led by partner countries, and with the assistance provided by other relevant bilateral and multilateral aid agencies and other donor institutions to promote harmonization with other programs aimed at preventing and treating HIV/AIDS and other health challenges, improving primary health, addressing food security, promoting education and development, and strengthening health care systems.
(VI) Resolving policy, program, and funding disputes among the relevant executive branch agencies.
(VII) Holding annual consultations with nongovernmental organizations in partner countries that provide services to improve health, and advocating on behalf of the individuals with HIV/AIDS and those at particular risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, including organizations with members who are living with HIV/AIDS.
(VIII) Ensuring, through interagency and international coordination, that HIV/AIDS programs of the United States are coordinated with, and complementary to, the delivery of related global health, food security, development, and education.
(IX) Directly approving all activities of the United States (including funding) relating to combatting HIV/AIDS in each of Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, and other countries designated by the President, which other designated countries may include those countries in which the United States is implementing HIV/AIDS programs as of May 27, 2003, and other countries in which the United States is implementing HIV/AIDS programs as part of its foreign assistance program. In designating additional countries under this subparagraph, the President shall give priority to those countries in which there is a high prevalence of HIV or risk of significantly increasing incidence of HIV within the general population and inadequate financial means within the country.
(X) Working with partner countries in which the HIV/AIDS epidemic is prevalent among injection drug users to establish, as a national priority, national HIV/AIDS prevention programs.
(XI) Working with partner countries in which the HIV/AIDS epidemic is prevalent among individuals involved in commercial sex acts to establish, as a national priority, national prevention programs, including education, voluntary testing, and counseling, and referral systems that link HIV/AIDS programs with programs to eradicate trafficking in persons and support alternatives to prostitution.
(XII) Establishing due diligence criteria for all recipients of funds appropriated for HIV/AIDS assistance pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under section 7671 of this title and all activities subject to the coordination and appropriate monitoring, evaluation, and audits carried out by the Coordinator necessary to assess the measurable outcomes of such activities.
(XIII) Publicizing updated drug pricing data to inform the purchasing decisions of pharmaceutical procurement partners.
(C) Definitions
In this paragraph:
(i) AIDS The term “AIDS” means acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
(ii) HIV The term “HIV” means the human immunodeficiency virus, the pathogen that causes AIDS.
(iii) HIV/AIDS The term “HIV/AIDS” means, with respect to an individual, an individual who is infected with HIV or living with AIDS.
(iv) Relevant executive branch agencies The term “relevant executive branch agencies” means the Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of Health and Human Services (including the Public Health Service), and any other department or agency of the United States that participates in international HIV/AIDS activities pursuant to the authorities of such department or agency or this Act.
(g) Qualifications of certain officers of the Department of State
(1) Officer having primary responsibility for personnel management
The officer of the Department of State with primary responsibility for assisting the Secretary with respect to matters relating to personnel in the Department of State, or that officer’s principal deputy, shall have substantial professional qualifications in the field of human resource policy and management.
(2) Officer having primary responsibility for diplomatic security
The officer of the Department of State with primary responsibility for assisting the Secretary with respect to diplomatic security, or that officer’s principal deputy, shall have substantial professional qualifications in the fields of
(A) management, and
(B) Federal law enforcement, intelligence, or security.
(3) Officer having primary responsibility for international narcotics and law enforcement
The officer of the Department of State with primary responsibility for assisting the Secretary with respect to international narcotics and law enforcement, or that officer’s principal deputy, shall have substantial professional qualifications in the fields of
(A) management, and
(B) law enforcement or international narcotics policy.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “under”.