The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the State Department Authorities Act, a bill to strengthen embassy security, enhances congressional oversight and advances multiples reforms within the U.S. State Department.
Much of the bill centers on the use of “best value” criteria when contracting for local guards at U.S. facilities overseas. Backers of the bill have said that authority has consistently been requested by the professionals overseeing the security at embassies.
Additionally, the bill requires the State Department to designate a list of high-risk, high-threat posts to better steer resources to those facilities. Further, the State Department and the Defense Department will be directed to jointly develop enhanced contingency plans for emergency situations, which includes planning for the rapid deployment of military resources to keep personnel safe.
Additional provisions in the bill include enhanced security measures for families stationed abroad and measures to report misconduct and unsatisfactory performance.“We’ve also included important provisions to bolster the State Department’s Inspector General – an office that the Foreign Affairs Committee successfully fought to have filled after sitting vacant for five years,” said U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“Lastly, the bill increases flexibility in the Department’s workforce, allowing civil servants more opportunities to serve overseas, and authorizing a pilot program to acquire skilled workers from the private sector,” he said.
The bill now awaits a vote in the Senate.