§17371 Energy Diplomacy and Security Within the Department of State

Summary

Require the State Department to make energy security part of its main work and create a Coordinator for International Energy Affairs in the Secretary’s office. The coordinator must lead U.S. work with other agencies on international energy policy, make sure global energy and environmental risks are included in State Department decision making, fold energy security priorities into Department activities, and coordinate energy work inside State and with other federal agencies — including work done in the Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Money may be appropriated as needed to do this. Within 180 days after December 19, 2007, the Secretary of State must report to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee about embassy and consulate staff dedicated to energy in major producer or consumer countries, whether more energy specialists are needed at missions, and ideas for adding energy experts or assign energy attachés from the Department of Energy or its National Laboratories. The Secretary must also report within 180 days and then every 2 years for 20 years on State’s energy activities, the funds spent on each activity, and the number and qualifications of embassy staff who work only on energy. The Secretary of Energy may place DOE or National Laboratory staff in embassies as energy advisers.