§276m United States Delegation to Parliamentary Assembly of Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)

Summary

Creates a U.S. congressional delegation of up to 17 Members to meet each year with other CSCE parliamentary groups. The delegation must check how CSCE goals are being met, talk about issues raised at foreign ministers’ meetings and the biennial leaders’ summit, and push for national and joint steps to boost cooperation and security in Europe. For each Assembly meeting the members are appointed on a set schedule: in 1992 and every even-numbered year after, the Speaker picks 9 House members (at least 4, including the delegation Chairman, must be from the House Foreign Affairs Committee) and the President Pro Tempore picks 8 Senators on the Senate leaders’ recommendations (at least 4, including the Vice Chairman, must be from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unless otherwise decided). In odd-numbered years beginning in 1993, the pattern flips (9 Senators, 8 House members) with the same committee-seat rules. The delegation gets two secretaries for continuity, one named by the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair and one by the Senate delegation Chair. Up to $80,000 may be appropriated each year for delegation expenses, with half paid on vouchers approved by the Chairman and half on vouchers approved by the Vice Chairman; the money stays available until spent. Each year the delegation must report its spending to Congress, and the Chairman’s and Vice Chairman’s signed certificate is final for auditing.