Chief Economist

Section 1 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a), as amended by section 7, is further amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (j) through (q) as subsections (l) through (r), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (i) the following new subsection: (j) Office of the Chief Economist within the Department of State; Chief Economist as head of the Office; personnel within the Office (1) Establishment There is authorized to be in the Department a Chief Economist who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment for matters pertaining to analyzing and forecasting the impact of economic trends on diplomatic functions and national security priorities, and such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. (2) Responsibilities In addition to the responsibilities described under paragraph (1), the Chief Economist shall provide research and analysis to inform the Department’s strategy for deploying international economic policy to strengthen alliances, deter malign foreign actors, and reduce dependencies on strategic rivals in the conduct of foreign policy, including, as appropriate, the following: (A) Providing research and analysis to inform the development of the Department’s strategy for deploying foreign policy to ensure supply chain resilience, secure access to raw materials and critical minerals, and maximize international market access. (B) Providing analysis of complex, emerging geoeconomic issues and offer advice to Department leadership on economic diplomacy challenges. (C) Conducting research and rigorous, data-driven analysis of high priority issues at the intersection of economics and foreign policy to inform decision-making and diplomatic engagements by senior Department officials. (D) Maintaining analytical products for the Department on international economic issues, including on sanctions evasion and the vulnerabilities of the United States and its partners to economic coercion, as well as the economic opportunities for United States businesses. (E) Contributing to the expansion of the economic expertise of the Department through collaboration with the Foreign Service Institute, the academic community, international organizations, and other Federal departments and agencies the Chief Economist determines necessary. (F) Serving as a liaison to technical experts in economics and related fields in partner governments, international institutions, and elsewhere in the United States government and academic community. (G) Performing such other duties as the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment may from time to time designate. (3) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and every 2 years for the subsequent four years, the Chief Economist shall transmit to Congress a report on the international economic strategy of the United States and its analytical basis. In preparing the report, the Chief Economist shall coordinate input and analysis from other bureaus within the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. (4) Office The Secretary shall establish an Office of the Chief Economist, which shall perform such functions related to the provision of expert economic advice and analysis, as the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment may prescribe. (5) Chief economist The Chief Economist shall be the head of the Office of the Chief Economist. (6) Personnel of the office of the chief economist (A) In general The Office of the Chief Economist shall include— (i) the Chief Economist, shall be a member of the Senior Executive Service or its equivalent, should have a doctorate in Economics, and at least 5 years of experience working at the intersection of policy and international economics in the private or public sectors; (ii) not fewer than 6 and not more than 12 full-time Civil Service officers, notwithstanding the limitations provided under section 501 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3981), at the GS-15 level or below; (iii) one full-time Foreign Service Officer, notwithstanding such limitations, at the FS-01 level or below; and (iv) time-limited detailees from other offices of the Department or of other Federal departments or agencies, on a mutually agreeable, non-reimbursable basis. (B) Contractors The Office of the Chief Economist shall have maximum contracting flexibility, including— (i) personal services contracting authority authorized under section 2 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2669), for domestic positions; and (ii) other transaction authority authorized under section 701 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4021), to adopt innovative technology and data analytics in its research..

Section 1 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a), as amended by section 7, is further amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (j) through (q) as subsections (l) through (r), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (i) the following new subsection: (j) Office of the Chief Economist within the Department of State; Chief Economist as head of the Office; personnel within the Office (1) Establishment There is authorized to be in the Department a Chief Economist who shall be responsible to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment for matters pertaining to analyzing and forecasting the impact of economic trends on diplomatic functions and national security priorities, and such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate. (2) Responsibilities In addition to the responsibilities described under paragraph (1), the Chief Economist shall provide research and analysis to inform the Department’s strategy for deploying international economic policy to strengthen alliances, deter malign foreign actors, and reduce dependencies on strategic rivals in the conduct of foreign policy, including, as appropriate, the following: (A) Providing research and analysis to inform the development of the Department’s strategy for deploying foreign policy to ensure supply chain resilience, secure access to raw materials and critical minerals, and maximize international market access. (B) Providing analysis of complex, emerging geoeconomic issues and offer advice to Department leadership on economic diplomacy challenges. (C) Conducting research and rigorous, data-driven analysis of high priority issues at the intersection of economics and foreign policy to inform decision-making and diplomatic engagements by senior Department officials. (D) Maintaining analytical products for the Department on international economic issues, including on sanctions evasion and the vulnerabilities of the United States and its partners to economic coercion, as well as the economic opportunities for United States businesses. (E) Contributing to the expansion of the economic expertise of the Department through collaboration with the Foreign Service Institute, the academic community, international organizations, and other Federal departments and agencies the Chief Economist determines necessary. (F) Serving as a liaison to technical experts in economics and related fields in partner governments, international institutions, and elsewhere in the United States government and academic community. (G) Performing such other duties as the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment may from time to time designate. (3) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and every 2 years for the subsequent four years, the Chief Economist shall transmit to Congress a report on the international economic strategy of the United States and its analytical basis. In preparing the report, the Chief Economist shall coordinate input and analysis from other bureaus within the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. (4) Office The Secretary shall establish an Office of the Chief Economist, which shall perform such functions related to the provision of expert economic advice and analysis, as the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment may prescribe. (5) Chief economist The Chief Economist shall be the head of the Office of the Chief Economist. (6) Personnel of the office of the chief economist (A) In general The Office of the Chief Economist shall include— (i) the Chief Economist, shall be a member of the Senior Executive Service or its equivalent, should have a doctorate in Economics, and at least 5 years of experience working at the intersection of policy and international economics in the private or public sectors; (ii) not fewer than 6 and not more than 12 full-time Civil Service officers, notwithstanding the limitations provided under section 501 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3981), at the GS-15 level or below; (iii) one full-time Foreign Service Officer, notwithstanding such limitations, at the FS-01 level or below; and (iv) time-limited detailees from other offices of the Department or of other Federal departments or agencies, on a mutually agreeable, non-reimbursable basis. (B) Contractors The Office of the Chief Economist shall have maximum contracting flexibility, including— (i) personal services contracting authority authorized under section 2 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2669), for domestic positions; and (ii) other transaction authority authorized under section 701 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4021), to adopt innovative technology and data analytics in its research..