May 26, 2022
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today introduced the Building Secure Embassies and Countering Terrorism Act 2022legislation to enhance security at U.S. diplomatic facilities.
“As the world becomes more dangerous and complicated, we need the State Department to prioritize diplomacy and spend taxpayers’ dollars effectively to defend the national interests of the United States. It is time for the Department rebalances its risk calculus and brings our diplomats back into the field to advance American values and interests and compete with adversaries around the world,” he added. says Risch. “Chinese, Russian and Iranian diplomats don’t have the restrictions that our diplomats have. This legislation will make it easier for American diplomats to do their jobs, get them out of our embassies and meet local people. This bill will also save American taxpayers potentially billions of dollars by giving the Department of State the ability to build smaller embassies and consulates while maintaining the same level of security.
This legislation:
- Provides the Department of State the flexibility to purchase smaller parcels of land in low-risk security environments, resulting in substantial savings for taxpayers
- Makes it easier to set up embassies and consulates in dense urban environments, rather than building fortress-embassies outside of town.
- Keeps our diplomats close to local officials and other diplomats, enabling them to better advance U.S. national interests.
The full text of the legislation can be viewed here.
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