§ 2656. Management of foreign affairs

§ 2656. Management of foreign affairs

The Secretary of State shall perform such duties as shall from time to time be enjoined on or intrusted to him by the President relative to correspondences, commissions, or instructions to or with public ministers or consuls from the United States, or to negotiations with public ministers from foreign states or princes, or to memorials or other applications from foreign public ministers or other foreigners, or to such other matters respecting foreign affairs as the President of the United States shall assign to the Department, and he shall conduct the business of the Department in such manner as the President shall direct.

(R.S. § 202.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

R.S. § 202 derived from acts July 27, 1789, ch. 4, § 1, 1 Stat. 28; Sept. 15, 1789, ch. 14, § 1, 1 Stat. 68.

Section was formerly classified to section 156 of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Construction

Pub. L. 115–409, § 412, Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5411, provided that: “Nothing in this Act [see Short Title of 2018 Amendment note set out under section 2651 of this title] may be construed as authorizing the use of military force.”

Establishing an Inner Mongolia Section Within the United States Mission in China

Pub. L. 119–60, div. E, title VI, § 5605, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1604, provided that: “(a) Inner Mongolia Section in the United States Mission in China.—“(1) In general.—The Secretary [of State] may establish an Inner Mongolia team within the United States Mission in China, to follow political, economic, and social developments in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and other areas designated by the People’s Republic of China as autonomous for Mongolians, with due consideration given to hiring Mongolians as Locally Employed Staff. “(2) Responsibilities.—Responsibilities of a team devoted to Inner Mongolia should include reporting on internationally recognized human rights issues, monitoring developments in critical minerals mining, environmental degradation, and PRC space capabilities, and access to areas designated as autonomous for Mongolians by United States Government officials, journalists, nongovernmental organizations, and the Mongolian diaspora. “(3) Language requirements.—The Secretary should ensure that the Department [of State] has sufficient proficiency in the Mongolian language in order to carry out paragraph (1), and that the United States Mission in China has sufficient resources to hire Local Employed Staff proficient in the Mongolian language, as appropriate. “(b) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2025], the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees [Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives] a report on the staffing described in subsection (a).”

Expedited Opening of Diplomatic Missions

Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXII, § 7210, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2533, provided that: “(a) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings:“(1) Increasing the United States’ global diplomatic footprint is imperative to advance United States’ national security interests, particularly in the face of a massive diplomatic expansion of our strategic competitors. “(2) Opening or re-opening diplomatic missions, often in small island nations where there is no United States Government presence, but one is needed to advance United States strategic objectives. “(3) Diplomatic missions should be resourced and equipped for success upon opening to allow diplomats to focus on advancing United States national interests in-country. “(4) The United States can and should move more swiftly to open new diplomatic missions and provide United States diplomats and locally employed staff with a workplace that meets locally appropriate quality, safety, and security standards. “(5) To do this, the Department [of State] must streamline and support the process of opening new posts to identify efficiencies and remove obstacles that are unduly complicating the opening of new diplomatic missions, particularly in small island states and similarly situated locations. “(b) Report to Congress.—“(1) In general.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2024], the Secretary [of State] shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees [Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives] and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report on how the Department is creating a new framework to provide such diplomatic missions the needed resources and authorities to quickly and efficiently stand up and operate from the moment United States personnel arrive, or even before the opening of a new mission, particularly in small island nations. “(2) Elements.—The report required under paragraph (1) shall include—“(A) a list of authorities and processes related to the opening of new diplomatic missions; “(B) a list of authorities and processes related to the opening of new diplomatic missions that the Department can waive to expediently stand up new diplomatic missions; “(C) essential functions that each new diplomatic mission should be able to carry out independently upon opening; “(D) a description of functions that another post or support center will need to carry out to support the new mission; “(E) a list of essential equipment and access to facilities, including to support secure communications, that should be provided to each new diplomatic mission, the approval of which should be handled prior to or shortly after the opening of the new diplomatic mission, including arrangements for basic office equipment, vehicles, and housing; “(F) the number of recommended locally engaged staff and United States direct hires resident in-country; “(G) the number of non-resident support staff who are assigned to the new diplomatic mission, such as from another post or regional support center; “(H) a description of how medical and consular support services could be provided; “(I) procedures for requesting an expansion or renovation of the post’s functions or physical platform after opening, should that be needed; “(J) any other authorities or processes that may be required to successfully and quickly stand up a new diplomatic mission, including any new authorities the Department may need; “(K) a list of incentives, in addition to pay differentials, being considered for such posts; “(L) a description of any specialized training, including for management and security personnel supporting the establishment of such new embassies that may be required; and “(M) a list of what steps the Department is taking to expedite embassy construction in Dublin, Ireland, consulate build-out in Nuuk, Greenland, and embassy renovations in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and projected new posts in the Caribbean and Pacific Islands. “(c) Senior Official to Lead New Embassy Expansion.—“(1) Designation.—The Secretary shall designate an assistant secretary-level senior official to expedite and make recommendations for the reform of procedures for opening new diplomatic missions abroad, particularly in small island states. “(2) Responsibilities.—The senior official designated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be responsible for proposing policy and procedural changes to the Secretary to—“(A) expediting the resourcing of new diplomatic missions by waiving or reducing when possible mandatory processes required to open new diplomatic missions, taking into account the threat environment and circumstances in the host country; “(B) when necessary, quickly adjudicating within the Department any decision points that arise during the planning and execution phases of the establishment of a new mission; “(C) ensuring new missions receive the management and operational support needed, including by designating such support be undertaken by another post, regional support center, or Department entities based in the United States; and “(D) ensuring that the authorities provided in the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act of 1999 (title VI of division A of appendix G of Public Law 106–113 [113 Stat. 1501A–451; see Short Title of 1999 Amendment note set out under section 4801 of this title]), as amended by the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act of 2022 (section 9301 of Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 3879), are fully utilized in the planning for all new diplomatic missions. “(d) New Diplomatic Mission Defined.—In this section, the term ‘new diplomatic mission’ means any bilateral diplomatic mission opened since January 1, 2020, in a country where there had not been a bilateral diplomatic mission since the date that is 20 years before the date of the enactment of this Act. “(e) Sunset.—The authorities and requirements of this section shall terminate 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.”

United States-Africa Leaders Summit and Related Matters

Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXVIII, § 7803, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2558, provided that: “(a) United States-Africa Leaders Summit.—“(1) In general.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2024], and biennially thereafter, the President shall convene a United States-Africa Leaders Summit to strengthen ties and promote cooperation with African leaders, as well as civil society, business, diaspora, women, and youth leaders. “(2) Participation.—Each summit convened pursuant to this subsection shall have participation, including in meetings with United States officials, from—“(A) leaders of civilian-led governments of African countries in good standing with the African Union, provided that such leaders—“(i) are not sanctioned by the United States; and “(ii) have not been found, by credible international observers or other international bodies, to have undermined democratic elections; “(B) heads of transitional governments that are implementing a roadmap to hold credible elections and who are unaffiliated with actions that were related to an unconstitutional change of administration; and “(C) civil society from each of the African countries represented at the Summit. “(3) Non-payment of au membership fees not basis for disqualification.—For the purposes of this subsection, non-payment of membership fees to the African Union shall not disqualify a country’s leader. “(b) United States-Africa City Summit (‘mini Summit’).—The Secretary [of State] should, not later than one year after each summit hosted under subsection (a) host a United States-Africa City Summit (‘Mini Summit’) across cities in Africa or the United States to promote subregional cooperation and serve as a catalyst in fostering engagement with representatives of government, civil society, business, academia, youth, culture and the arts, the African diaspora community, and underrepresented groups. “(c) United States-Africa Leaders Summit Implementation Unit.—“(1) In general.—The Secretary shall establish within the Bureau for African Affairs of the Department of State a United States-Africa Leaders Summit implementation unit responsible for coordinating, planning and implementing summits, which should include robust interagency consultation and may include, on a temporary basis, personnel seconded from USAID [United States Agency for International Development] and other Federal agencies as appropriate, and which shall be led by an individual who has previously been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. “(2) Duties.—The duties of the implementation unit authorized by this subsection shall include—“(A) using lessons learned from the 2022 African Leaders Summit and subsequent summits to inform planning of future summits; “(B) leading interagency efforts to provide guidance to United States embassies in African countries related to planning each summit and engagement with governments and civil society in advance of each summit; “(C) tracking and ensuring implementation of commitments made during United States-Africa Leaders Summits; “(D) liaising with interagency partners and the National Security Council regarding implementation of summit commitments; “(E) facilitating meetings and engagement with African Diaspora communities and stakeholders; and “(F) reporting quarterly on a public website of the Department [of State] regarding progress to accomplish summit commitments and status of commitments across Federal departments and agencies. “(3) Requirement for consultation.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the implementation unit shall consult with the appropriate congressional committees [Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives] on summit planning and the fulfillment of commitments and any relevant follow on issues in the wake of each summit. “(d) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated $28,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 and $14,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029. Such sums shall remain available for three fiscal years.”

Summit of the Americas

Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXVIII, § 7804, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2559, provided that: “(a) Statement of Policy.—It shall be the policy of the United States to work with the Summit of the Americas Secretariat to support the organization of a Summit of the Americas every 4 years, or more frequently as appropriate, subject to the availability of funds, to strengthen ties and promote cooperation between the United States and countries in the Western Hemisphere, as well as civil society, business, diaspora, women, and youth leaders. “(b) Authorization.—The Secretary [of State] is authorized to carry out the policy described in subsection (a). “(c) Cities Summit of the Americas.—“(1) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings:“(A) Subnational diplomacy strengthens democratic governance by enhancing the ability of local leader to tackle shared challenges and deepens United States ties with regional partners by localizing bilateral and multilateral partnerships and connections. “(B) The first-ever Cities Summit of the Americas in 2023 promoted a valuable exchange of best practices and lessons learned between city, State, municipal, and regional leaders and should be held as part of the Summit of the Americas process. “(2) In general.—The Secretary is authorized to work with the Summit of the Americas Secretariat to support the organization of Cities Summit of the Americas, across cities in the Western Hemisphere, including the United States, to take place as a part of each Summit of the Americas described in subsection (a), to promote subnational cooperation and serve as a catalyst in fostering engagement with representatives of government, civil society, faith-based organizations, business, academia, youth, culture and the arts, Latin American and Caribbean diaspora communities, and underrepresented groups. “(d) Implementation.—The Secretary is authorized to designate an existing official to serve within the Department [of State] as senior-level coordinator to coordinate, in conjunction with other relevant agencies, matters related to the implementation of Summit of [the] Americas commitments, including—“(1) tracking and ensuring implementation of commitments made during Summits of the Americas; and “(2) liaising with interagency partners and the National Security Council regarding implementation of summit commitments. “(e) Report.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2024], and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees [Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives] a report on the implementation of this section, including the status of commitments of the United States and participating partners for the prior year and upcoming year.”

Global Cooperative Framework to End Human Rights Abuses in Sourcing Critical Minerals