| |  Bureau of Legislative AffairsThe Bureau of Legislative Affairs (H) coordinates legislative activity for the Department of State and advises the Secretary, the Deputy, as well as the Under Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries on legislative strategy. H facilitates effective communication between State Department officials and the Members of Congress and their staffs. H works closely with authorizing, appropriations, and oversight committees of the House and Senate, as well as with individual Members that have an interest in State Department or foreign policy issues. H manages Department testimony before House and Senate hearings, organizes Member and staff briefings, and facilitates Congressional travel to overseas posts for Members and staff throughout the year. H reviews proposed legislation and coordinates Statements of Administration Policy on legislation affecting the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. The H staff advises individual Bureaus of the Department on legislative and outreach strategies and coordinates those strategies with the Secretary's priorities.
The Secretary of State is the principal Congressional Relations Officer of the Department. H supports the Secretary by ensuring that the administration's foreign policy priorities are reflected throughout the legislative process. H coordinates the annual testimony provided by the Secretary to Congressional committees with jurisdiction over State programs to explain Department priorities and budget requirements. The bureau succeeds in its overall mission by seeking passage of relevant foreign policy legislation and appropriations, obtaining advice and consent to treaties, as well as confirmation of the President's Departmental and Ambassadorial nominees by the Senate.
The Assistant Secretary, advises the Secretary of State on legislative matters, directs the Bureau of Legislative Affairs, and acts as the Department's principal liaison with the Congress. Matthew Reynolds serves as the Assistant Secretary.
Current Events
Secretary Rice Travels to Mexico
Secretary Rice during her visit to Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Oct. 23: "We have indeed just signed an agreement that will improve our already close cooperation with Mexico on an issue that unfortunately greatly influences all. This is the management of responses of natural disasters and accidents, and I’m very pleased with this agreement. And in doing so, we recognize the historically close cooperation across our shared border." Full Text | Travel Page
Summit on International Development: Sustaining the New Era
Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore represents the U.S. at a signing ceremony in Brussels on Oct. 22: "We are here today to help Georgia recover from the August invasion by Russia. We share a commitment to Georgia’s territorial integrity, to its economic and democratic development, and to its integration with neighboring countries and international institutions." Full Text | Media Note
Contact Information:
Phone: (202) 647-4204
FAX: (202) 647-2762
Address:
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Legislative Affairs
Washington, DC 20520 | | | Highlights | FY 2009 Budget in Brief
The annual Function 150 (International Affairs Budget Request) Summary and Highlights provides an overview of the total funding requested in four appropriations bills for the programs and activities of the International Affairs budget. [PDF version; 2.2MB]; [Fact Sheet]
The Budget in Brief describes funding requested in one appropriations bill (that covering the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Agencies) for the worldwide operations of the State Department and selected other international programs and activities.
U.S.-India Agreement
 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Indian Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee to Sign the U.S.-India Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. [more] |
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