Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Saturday announced that for the first time in 14 years, a State Department authorization bill will be sent to the president’s desk to be signed into law. The Senate unanimously approved S.1635 on Saturday.
It is legislation referred to the Senate earlier this week from the House of Representatives where lawmakers incorporated provisions from State Department authorization bills for fiscal years
2016 and 2017, which were authored by Senator Corker and Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member of the committee.
“Today, Congress ends a 14-year drought by finally sending a State Department authorization to the president,” said Senator Corker. “Restoring Congress’ rightful role in the conduct of U.S. engagement overseas has been a top priority of mine as chairman. I thank Senator Cardin for his partnership and appreciate the bipartisan cooperation and contributions of my committee colleagues and our counterparts in the House in renewing this important oversight process on behalf of American taxpayers. Among other provisions, this legislation will enhance the security of our embassies abroad, improve personnel and organizational practices of the State Department, and demand much needed oversight and accountability of U.N. peacekeeping missions to end horrific cases of sexual abuse and exploitation. Going forward, I am hopeful we can build even further on this important progress to ensure State Department funding is used in the most responsible manner to advance American interests.”
A summary of S.1635 is available here