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Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§5506 Department of State Responsibilities and Procedures at International Disaster Site

Title 22 › CHAPTER 64 — UNITED STATES RESPONSE TO TERRORISM AFFECTING AMERICANS ABROAD › § 5506

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of State must, within 60 days after November 16, 1990, make rules so that when an international disaster—especially an aviation accident—affects many U.S. citizens abroad, at least one senior officer from the Bureau of Consular Affairs is sent to the site. The Secretary must also create staffing rules that say who decides staffing and that consider using crisis teams. For aviation disasters, at least one State Department employee must go to help families who visit the site and to work with local government and social service agencies. Within 60 days the Secretary must also make procedures for sending crisis teams, which may include public affairs, forensic, and bereavement experts, and must quickly issue any rules needed to carry out these procedures.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §5506

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Dispatch of senior State Department official to site
Not later than 60 days after November 16, 1990, the Secretary of State shall issue such rules and guidelines as are necessary to provide that in the event of an international disaster, particularly an aviation tragedy, directly involving significant numbers of United States citizens abroad not less than one senior officer from the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Department of State shall be dispatched to the site of such disaster.
(b)Criteria for Department of State staffing at disaster site
Not later than 60 days after November 16, 1990, the Secretary of State shall promulgate criteria for Department of State staffing of disaster sites abroad. Such criteria shall define responsibility for staffing decisions and shall consider the deployment of crisis teams under subsection (d). The Secretary of State shall promptly issue such rules and guidelines as are necessary to implement criteria developed pursuant to this subsection.
(c)State Department ombudsman
Not later than 60 days after November 16, 1990, the Secretary of State shall issue such rules and guidelines as are necessary to provide that in the event of an international aviation disaster involving significant numbers of United States citizens abroad not less than one officer or employee of the Department of State shall be dispatched to the disaster site to provide on-site assistance to families who may visit the site and to act as an ombudsman in matters involving the foreign local government authorities and social service agencies.
(d)Crisis teams
Not later than 60 days after November 16, 1990, the Secretary of State shall promulgate procedures for the deployment of a “crisis team”, which may include public affairs, forensic, and bereavement experts, to the site of any international disaster involving United States citizens abroad to augment in-country Embassy and consulate staff. The Secretary of State shall promptly issue such rules and guidelines as are necessary to implement procedures developed pursuant to this subsection.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Authority of Secretary of State Except as otherwise provided, Secretary of State to have and exercise any authority vested by law in any official or office of Department of State and references to such officials or offices deemed to refer to Secretary of State or Department of State, as appropriate, see section 2651a of this title and section 161(d) of Pub. L. 103–236, set out as a note under section 2651a of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 5506

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110