Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-102

§6501 Purposes

Title 22 › CHAPTER 74 — FOREIGN AFFAIRS AGENCIES CONSOLIDATION › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 6501

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Sets six goals to reshape how the United States handles foreign affairs. It aims to strengthen coordination and make the Secretary of State the lead in making and speaking U.S. foreign policy; merge foreign affairs work into the Department of State by abolishing three agencies (United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, United States Information Agency, and United States International Development Cooperation Agency) and moving some Agency for International Development functions into State; keep programs vital to national interests; help Congress balance the federal budget and reduce the federal debt; keep effective U.S. representation abroad within budget limits; and encourage agencies to keep a high share of the best qualified U.S. citizens in foreign affairs jobs.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §6501

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The purposes of this chapter are—
(1)to strengthen—
(A)the coordination of United States foreign policy; and
(B)the leading role of the Secretary of State in the formulation and articulation of United States foreign policy;
(2)to consolidate and reinvigorate the foreign affairs functions of the United States within the Department of State by—
(A)abolishing the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, the United States Information Agency, and the United States International Development Cooperation Agency, and transferring the functions of these agencies to the Department of State while preserving the special missions and skills of these agencies;
(B)transferring certain functions of the Agency for International Development to the Department of State; and
(C)providing for the reorganization of the Department of State to maximize the efficient use of resources, which may lead to budget savings, eliminated redundancy in functions, and improvement in the management of the Department of State;
(3)to ensure that programs critical to the promotion of United States national interests be maintained;
(4)to assist congressional efforts to balance the Federal budget and reduce the Federal debt;
(5)to ensure that the United States maintains effective representation abroad within budgetary restraints; and
(6)to encourage United States foreign affairs agencies to maintain a high percentage of the best qualified, most competent United States citizens serving in the United States Government.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this subdivision”, meaning subdiv. A of div. G of Pub. L. 105–277, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–765, known as the Foreign Affairs Agencies Consolidation Act of 1998. For complete classification of this subdivision to the Code, see

Short Title

note below and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, § 1001, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–761, provided that: “This division [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998’.” Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. A, title XI, § 1101, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–765, provided that: “This subdivision [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Foreign Affairs Agencies Consolidation Act of 1998’.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 6501

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102