July 15, 2025
Mr. Bera (for himself, Mr. Moylan, Mr. Case, and Ms. McBride) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
To require a review of the United States diplomatic posture, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the U.S. Diplomatic Posture Review Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
The allocation of personnel and resources of the Department of State in areas of strategic concern should reflect United States national security and foreign policy priorities.
(2)
The Department of State Strategic Staffing Initiative of 2020 demonstrated a recognition of a need for a continuous, high-level examination of the Department’s diplomatic posture.
(3)
The Department of State should strengthen its capacity to advance United States national security and foreign policy objectives through adjusting its diplomatic posture and strategic goals to reflect United States national security and foreign policy priorities and clearly and consistently communicating such adjustments to Congress.
Sec. 3. United States diplomatic posture review
(a) Review required
(1) Initial report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, acting through the Coordinator appointed pursuant to subsection (c) and in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes a classified, comprehensive diplomatic posture review (USDPR Report
), and which shall contain an unclassified summary.
(2) Subsequent reports
Not later than 1 year after the submission to Congress of the initial report required by paragraph (1), and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an updated USDPR Report in the same form as the initial report.
(b) Content
Each USDPR report required under subsection (a) shall, at a minimum, include a comprehensive description and discussion of the following matters:
(1)
A list of all diplomatic and consular posts and domestic offices operated by the Department of State, whether inside the United States or overseas, including—
(A)
domestic field offices;
(B)
permanent bilateral missions and branch offices;
(C)
special bilateral or multilateral missions;
(D)
multilateral missions accredited to international organizations;
(E)
legations;
(F)
United States interest sections;
(G)
United States liaison offices;
(H)
consulates general;
(I)
consulates;
(J)
consular agencies;
(K)
American presence posts;
(L)
remote missions; and
(M)
virtual presence posts.
(2)
A review of the degree to which United States diplomatic and consular posts serve the needs of American citizens overseas well, including for consular services, travel advisories, and emergency assistance.
(3)
A description of any additional resources needed to sufficiently serve such overseas needs.
(4)
An analysis of how existing, statutorily-mandated, strategic priorities of the Department affect, inform, or alter the Department’s approach toward implementing goals and objectives.
(5)
A list of the amounts and kind of foreign assistance provided to other countries and public international organizations, disaggregated by country and by specific account within budget function 150 (international affairs).
(6)
A list of any international financial obligations for which the Department is in arrears, and how the Department will meet these obligations within the next fiscal year.
(7)
A description of the costs incurred during the preceding year in connection with operating, maintaining, and supporting Department of State missions, broken out by country and post.
(8)
A description of major changes the Secretary of State has made or intends to make in the forthcoming year focused on significant alterations, additions, or reductions, to the allocation of personnel and resources across the world to ensure that the Department is optimally positioned to execute statutorily-mandated strategic plans and priorities.
(9)
Identification of needed military, economic, informational, and additional resources outside the Department of State that are critical to the successful implementation of the strategic priorities described pursuant to paragraph (2).
(c) Coordinator for the United States diplomatic posture review
(1) Appointment of Coordinator
The Secretary shall appoint from among the officers and employees of the Department of State a Coordinator to develop and submit the USDPR Report. The Coordinator shall report directly to the Secretary and may, at the discretion of the Secretary, retain the position and responsibilities held by such individual prior to such appointment.
(2) Qualifications
The Coordinator shall be a person who has significant depth of experience and expertise in international relations, data-driven management, and the policymaking, programmatic, and personnel aspects of the Department.
(3) Staff
The Secretary shall assign sufficient personnel from the Secretary’s Policy Planning staff or other operating units of the Department of State as the Secretary deems appropriate to support the Coordinator in carrying out the duties required by this section.
(d) Briefing
Not later than 30 days after the submission of each report required by subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall provide an annual classified briefing to the appropriate congressional committees on—
(1)
the posture review;
(2)
actionable steps the Department of State has taken or intends to take to make adjustments to the United States diplomatic posture and strategic approach; and
(3)
additional statutory resources required from Congress to help meet the United States national security strategy priorities.
(e) Appropriate congressional committees defined
In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means—
(1)
the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
(2)
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.