Turkey Diplomatic Realignment Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1890 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1890

To administratively reassign responsibility for the Republic of Turkey 
         within the Department of State and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 5, 2025

Mr. Schneider (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Ms. Titus, Ms. Malliotakis, 
 Mr. Pappas, and Mr. Gottheimer) introduced the following bill; which 
            was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To administratively reassign responsibility for the Republic of Turkey 
         within the Department of State and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Turkey Diplomatic Realignment Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Republic of Turkey occupies a unique geopolitical 
        position at the intersection of Europe and the Middle East, 
        influencing security, economic, and diplomatic interests of the 
        United States in both regions.
            (2) The Department of State currently assigns 
        responsibility for Turkey within the Bureau of European and 
        Eurasian Affairs, despite Turkey's extensive engagement in 
        Middle Eastern affairs and security issues.
            (3) A reassignment of Turkey to the Bureau of Near Eastern 
        Affairs would better align diplomatic strategy and facilitate 
        regional cooperation.
            (4) Turkey's foreign policy trajectory in recent years has 
        distanced it from the European Union and The North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization (NATO), as evidenced by its strategic 
        realignments and domestic political shifts that challenge 
        European democratic norms.
            (5) European institutions have increasingly sidelined 
        Turkey from full integration, delaying accession talks and 
        raising concerns over human rights, democratic governance, and 
        rule of law.
            (6) Turkey's growing partnerships with non-western powers, 
        including Russia and China, along with its pursuit of BRICS 
        membership, underscore its shifting priorities away from 
        western alignment.
            (7) The Turkish government's increasing engagement with 
        Islamist actors, its role in conflicts such as Syria and Libya, 
        and its strained relations with Israel have deepened concerns 
        over its long-term reliability as a western partner.
            (8) The reassignment serves as a diplomatic signal 
        reflecting Turkey's diminishing European prospects and 
        encourages national debate within Turkey about its geopolitical 
        future, particularly in light of its perceived marginalization 
        from European strategic decision-making.
            (9) Turkey has provided political and logistical support to 
        Hamas, hosting members of the group and facilitating 
        fundraising activities, further straining its relationships 
        with western allies and contributing to concerns over its 
        regional alignment.
            (10) The United States remains committed to a strong 
        relationship with Turkey but must recalibrate its diplomatic 
        engagement in recognition of changing realities, ensuring U.S. 
        regional policy remains consistent with evolving security and 
        economic dynamics.

SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE REASSIGNMENT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall administratively 
reassign responsibility for the Republic of Turkey from the Bureau of 
European and Eurasian Affairs to the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs 
within the Department of State.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate a report--
            (1) describing the effectiveness and implications of the 
        reassignment required by subsection (a); and
            (2) providing recommendations for further changes regarding 
        the assignment of responsibility for Turkey.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed 
to prevent the Secretary from modifying or discontinuing the use of 
regional bureaus as necessary to advance the diplomatic objectives of 
the United States.
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