Coordination of science, technology, and communication infrastructure

(a) In general To ensure smooth functioning and clear lines of responsibility both among the Department’s science, technology, and communication infrastructure bureaus and across all Department bureaus, and to avoid repeating past problems associated with unclear lines of responsibility, there shall be a reporting requirement for science, technology, and communication infrastructure coordination in the Department. The Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs shall have primary responsibility for this requirement, in consultation with the following individuals: (1) Assistant Secretary for Cyberspace and Digital Policy. (2) Assistant Secretary for Emerging Threats. (3) Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Diplomatic Technology of the Department. (4) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Space and Environment Affairs. (b) Report (1) In general Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the heads of the Department bureaus described in paragraph (2) shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that— (A) describes any coordination challenges in the science, technology, and communication infrastructure policy areas; and (B) outlines steps to deconflict lines of effort. (2) Bureaus described The Department bureaus described in this paragraph are the following: (A) The Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy. (B) The Bureau of Emerging Threats. (C) The Bureau of Diplomatic Technology. (D) The Office of Space Affairs within the Bureau of Water, Environment, and Space Affairs. (c) Briefings After the submission of the report required by subsection (b), the heads of the Department bureaus described in subsection (b)(2) shall provide briefings to the appropriate congressional committees once every six months. The briefings shall include the same subject matter as the report, but with updated information. (d) Matters To be included The report required by subsection (b)(1) and the subsequent briefings required by subsection (c) shall include— (1) an assessment of each bureau’s efforts to coordinate with other relevant bureaus on science, technology, and communication infrastructure policy; (2) an assessment of each bureau’s efforts to coordinate with other bureaus and offices of the Department which do not have primary responsibility for science, technology, and communication infrastructure policy; (3) a description of any challenges encountered in science, technology, and communication infrastructure policy coordination, including— (A) uncertainty about which relevant bureau is supposed to take the lead on a policy issue; (B) duplication of efforts among the relevant bureaus; (C) instances when relevant bureau personnel were asked to provide services or weigh in on issues not in their bureau’s area of responsibility; and (D) instances when relevant bureau personnel were not included in internal policy discussions or documents relevant to their bureau’s area of responsibility; and (4) a description of actions taken to address identified coordination challenges and prevent their recurrence. (e) Form The report required by subsection (b)(1) and the briefings required by subsection (c) shall be submitted or made in an unclassified format, as the case may be, and may include a classified annex. (f) Sunset This section shall terminate on the date that is two years after the date of the enactment of this Act.