Embassy Construction Integrity Act of 2023

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6306. Over the past 3 years, our country has made critical headway in expanding the United States' diplomatic footprint, including opening new, strategically located facilities in the Indo-Pacific region. Our Nation has always been at its best when we engage intensely in diplomatic efforts to defend and advance both interests and ideals around the world, and that is why it is so critical that we equip our diplomats with the resources they need.

As part of this work, the State Department works regularly to open, renew, or modernize its facilities around the world so that U.S. diplomats can effectively advance our interests around the world. I am proud that this work has included reestablishing our embassy operations in Kyiv to stand with Ukraine after Russia's unprovoked, full-scale invasion in 2022.

When we raise the U.S. flag on a new or updated diplomatic facility abroad, it is a powerful signal of our commitment to democracy and peaceful, productive engagement between nations.

In maintaining its facilities around the world, the State Department mitigates security and counterintelligence risks through tailored, site-specific measures that address the particular challenges of a specific locale. The Department has deep expertise in this area, informed by decades of experience to harden our security posture, counter our adversaries, and open our doors to those who wish to learn about and engage with the United States.

Congress has played a role in developing this expertise, too, as evidenced in bipartisan reforms to the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act that we passed into law last Congress. We must continue to ensure the State Department has the flexibility to balance bold, expeditionary diplomacy, while mitigating operational risks.

With this bill before us today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee worked in a bipartisan fashion to ensure the Department has the needed flexibility to advance the Department's ongoing efforts to maintain and open new facilities, even as we seek to minimize risks in embassy construction or maintenance that our competitors could exploit.

I am pleased to support this measure, and I invite my colleagues to do the same. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure.

In closing, the State Department's efforts to expand our diplomatic footprint and enhance its existing facilities worldwide showcase America's dedication to effective diplomacy and international cooperation.

The operational security and effectiveness of these facilities is paramount, and the State Department has demonstrable success in building facilities tailored to mitigate country-specific risks. Our congressional reforms have supported this mission, providing the necessary framework for safe and dynamic diplomacy while ensuring that State has the flexibility it needs to build and maintain its facilities around the world.

I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting H.R. 6306, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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