Herb Kohl: “I want to comment on one aspect of the conference report before us today, the provisions relating to the consolidation…”

“I want to comment on one aspect of the conference report before us today, the provisions relating to the consolidation of USIA into the State Department. Although the President has already signaled his intention to veto this bill should it pass, I would like to highlight a concern I share with others which was addressed to some degree in the conference report: the need to protect the integrity of U.S. public diplomacy. There have been some indications that when the State Department incorporates the functions of USIA into its organization, there are some State Department officials who are interested in using the resources associated with USIA programs to boost the public affairs functions of the State Department. I would like to go on record in opposition to any shifting of resources or even worse merging of these two very distinct functions of public affairs and public diplomacy. To give some background on this issue, since 1948 when U.S. government information programs were first authorized under section 501 of the Smith/Mundt Act, it has been understood that public diplomacy programs were directed to foreign audiences.”