H.R. 8368 – Reading Mode

IIB

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8368

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 21, 2024

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

AN ACT

To establish a Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts in the Department of State, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts Authorization Act of 2024.

Establishment of Coordinator

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary of State shall appoint a Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (Coordinator), who shall be responsible for—

(1)

relocating and resettling eligible Afghan allies and facilitating the departure of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who request United States assistance to leave Afghanistan, except that the Coordinator shall prioritize the facilitation of such departures before the relocation or resettlement of allies; and

(2)

working with other offices of the Department of State, as well as with appropriate counterparts at other Federal departments and agencies, to ensure integrated United States support for such relocation efforts.

(b)

Authorities

The Coordinator is authorized—

(1)

to enter into personal services contracts for a period ending not later than the date described in section 3;

(2)

to extend and maintain through such date personal services contracts entered into pursuant to the authority provided by section 2401 of the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 (Public Law 117–43);

(3)

to hire temporary personnel who are United States citizens, except that to the extent possible the Coordinator should use Foreign Service limited appointments to fill such positions both in the United States and abroad in accordance with section 309 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3949); and

(4)

subject to the availability of appropriations—

(A)

to accept, in the form of reimbursement or transfer, amounts from other Federal departments or agencies as appropriate to carry out the duties described in subsection (a); and

(B)

to reimburse such other departments or agencies as the Coordinator may determine appropriate to carry out such duties.

(c)

Detailees and assignees

Any Federal Government employee may be detailed or assigned to the Office of the Coordinator, with or without reimbursement, consistent with applicable laws and regulations regarding such employee, and such detail or assignment shall be without interruption or loss of status or privilege.

(d)

Notification with respect to transfers of funds

(1)

In general

The Coordinator shall notify the appropriate congressional committees of each use of the transfer authority made available under subsection (b)(4)(A) not later than 15 days before the completion of such transfer.

(2)

Appropriate congressional committees

In this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means—

(A)

the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and

(B)

the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

Sunset

This Act and the authorities provided by this Act shall terminate on the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives November 20, 2024.

Kevin F. McCumber,

Clerk.