Title 22Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§2655b Diplomatic presence overseas

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 38— - DEPARTMENT OF STATE › § 2655b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates a new overseas diplomatic post called Counselor for Nonproliferation and Political Military Affairs. The job is meant to raise the importance of U.S. work on nonproliferation and political-military issues and to build a group of technical experts. The Counselor must be a career Civil Service or Foreign Service officer who plans to move into the Department’s Nonproliferation Bureau or Political Military Affairs Bureau. After selection, the person must spend at least 10 months in language training at the Foreign Service Institute or in technical courses run by the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, or other U.S. agencies. The Secretary can waive that training requirement.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §2655b

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The purpose of this section is to—
(1)elevate the stature given United States diplomatic initiatives relating to nonproliferation and political-military issues; and
(2)develop a group of highly specialized, technical experts with country expertise capable of administering the nonproliferation and political-military affairs functions of the Department.
(b)To carry out the purposes of subsection (a), the Secretary is authorized to establish the position of Counselor for Nonproliferation and Political Military Affairs in United States diplomatic missions overseas, to be filled by individuals who are career Civil Service officers or Foreign Service officers committed to follow-on assignments in the Nonproliferation Bureau or the Political Military Affairs Bureau of the Department.
(c)After being selected to serve as Counselor, any person so selected shall spend not less than 10 months in language training courses at the Foreign Service Institute,11 See Change of Name note below. or in technical courses administered by the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, or other appropriate departments and agencies of the United States, except that such requirement for training may be waived by the Secretary.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

References to Foreign Service Institute considered to refer to George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center, see section 1(b) of Pub. L. 107–132, set out as a note under section 4021 of this title. Definitions For definitions of “Department” and “Secretary” as used in this section, see section 3 of Pub. L. 107–228, set out as a note under section 2651 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 2655b

Title 22Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73