H.R. 5251 — To provide for the public diplomacy authorities of the Department of State, and for other purposes.

This section establishes in the Department of State an Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy responsible to the Secretary for global public diplomacy, information operations targeting foreign audiences, strategic communications and information, international educational and cultural exchange programs, and other duties as designated by the Secretary. It further directs the Under Secretary to oversee and coordinate all public diplomacy and foreign information operations, including (1) leading activities to communicate U.S. policy to foreign audiences, expose foreign adversaries' malign actions, ensure global access to free information, and counter foreign censorship; (2) preparing and implementing an annual public diplomacy strategic plan in collaboration with Department bureaus, overseas posts, and national security agencies; (3) assessing public diplomacy programs using effective evaluation methods; (4) overseeing Department personnel conducting public diplomacy; (5) assisting U.S.-funded media in presenting U.S. policies; (6) submitting U.S. policy statements and editorial material to such media; (7) allocating resources for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Bureau of Strategic Communications, and public diplomacy functions in regional and functional bureaus; (8) establishing regional public diplomacy teams to integrate, implement, and operationalize Department strategy in each region; (9) chairing interagency public diplomacy meetings with the Departments of Defense, State, Commerce, and Treasury, the intelligence community, and Group of Seven members; and (10) other duties as designated by the Secretary.

This section authorizes the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy to receive funds necessary to fulfill its missions and responsibilities for FY2026 and FY2027 from amounts authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State under section 141.

This section establishes in the Department of State an Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, responsible to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy for the development, implementation, and oversight of all educational, cultural, and professional exchange programs (e.g., J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange Program and Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program). The Assistant Secretary has additional responsibilities related to such exchanges in foreign policy, including (1) administering programs for youth, students, leaders, cultural elites, press, and influencers, including those under current law (22 U.S.C. 2460); (2) integrating exchange programming into global public diplomacy planning; (3) identifying regional priorities; (4) reducing overhead and administrative costs; (5) consolidating support services; (6) expanding cost-sharing with private and nonprofit sectors; and (7) ensuring clear foreign policy outcomes and performance.

This section requires the Secretary of State to maintain the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (previously established in the United States Information Agency or such agency as the President determines), which manages U.S. international academic, cultural, and professional exchange programs (e.g., J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange Program, Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program), to perform related functions as prescribed by the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, and designates the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs as the head of the bureau.

This section directs that, of funds authorized to be appropriated to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy under section 702, the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs receive the funds necessary to fulfill Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs functions and responsibilities for FY2026 and FY2027. (The bureau administers U.S. government-sponsored international educational and cultural exchange programs, such as Fulbright.)

This section establishes in the Department of State an Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications, responsible to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy for strategic communication, global access to free information, countering foreign censorship efforts, and related duties designated by the Secretary. The Assistant Secretary shall oversee and coordinate foreign policy messaging, including (1) foreign-facing information operations and regional content operations; (2) strategic direction for all U.S. government-funded media entities; (3) an Office of Global Distribution and News Services to create an open-content wire service and manage translation and distribution of U.S. government content; (4) support for investigative and independent media; (5) advocacy for internet freedom, circumvention tools, and opposition to foreign censorship; and (6) diplomatic engagements on information freedom. The Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs serving immediately before enactment automatically assumes this position until vacating it, with subsequent appointments requiring Senate confirmation.

This section authorizes the Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications to receive necessary funds, from those appropriated to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy under section 702, to fulfill bureau functions and the Assistant Secretary's responsibilities for FY2026 and FY2027.

This section directs the Office of Law Revision Counsel to (1) reclassify sections 211a through 214a, 217a, and 218 of title 22, United States Code, as sections 244 through 254 of that title; (2) utilize sections 191 through 221 of title 22 to classify sections of this title; and (3) maintain, under editorial notes, the legislative history of repealed and reclassified laws previously in the corresponding sections.