22 USC 10305 - Establishment and expansion of Regional Technology Officer Program

U.S Code last checked for updates: Apr 30, 2024

§ 10305.

Establishment and expansion of Regional Technology Officer Program

(a)

Regional Technology Officer Program

(1)

Establishment

(2)

Goals

The goals of the Program shall include the following:

(A)

Promoting United States leadership in technology abroad.

(B)

Working with partners to increase the deployment of critical and emerging technology in support of democratic values.

(C)

Shaping diplomatic agreements in regional and international fora with respect to critical and emerging technologies.

(D)

Building diplomatic capacity for handling critical and emerging technology issues.

(E)

Facilitating the role of critical and emerging technology in advancing the foreign policy objectives of the United States through engagement with research labs, incubators, and venture capitalists.

(F)

Maintaining the advantages of the United States with respect to critical and emerging technologies.

(b)

Implementation plan

Not later than 180 days after December 23, 2022, the Secretary shall submit an implementation plan to the appropriate congressional committees that outlines strategies for—

(1)

advancing the goals described in subsection (a)(2);

(2)

hiring Regional Technology Officers and increasing the competitiveness of the Program within the Foreign Service bidding process;

(3)

expanding the Program to include a minimum of 15 Regional Technology Officers; and

(4)

assigning not fewer than 2 Regional Technology Officers to posts within—

(A)

each regional bureau of the Department; and

(B)

the Bureau of International Organization Affairs.

(c)

Annual briefing requirement

(d)

Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 117–263, div. I, title XCV, § 9508, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3906.)

cite as: 22 USC 10305