Authorization to recruit specialized disaster assistance professionals

(a) In general The Secretary of State, acting through the Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, is authorized to establish a program to recruit, train, and retain specialized disaster assistance professionals for the Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response, to ensure that the Bureau has sufficient personnel with the skills and expertise necessary to plan, implement, and manage complex international disaster assistance operations. (b) Qualifications A specialized disaster assistance professional recruited, trained, or retained through the program established pursuant to subsection (a) shall have expertise in relevant matters including procurement, logistics, public health, nutrition, protection, engineering, and finance.