African Diaspora Council Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 784 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 784

To establish the Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the 
                 United States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 28, 2025

Ms. Kamlager-Dove (for herself and Ms. Jacobs) introduced the following 
      bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the 
                 United States, 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 ``African Diaspora Council Act''.

SEC. 2. ADVISORY COUNCIL ON AFRICAN DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT IN THE UNITED 
              STATES.

    (a) Establishment.--There shall be established by the Secretary of 
State an advisory council within the Department of State to be known as 
the ``Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United 
States'' (in this section referred to as the ``Advisory Council'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Advisory Council shall consist of not 
        more than 12 members, appointed by the Secretary of State, who 
        are representatives of and reflect the diversity of the African 
        diaspora from African American and African immigrant 
        communities, including individuals who have distinguished 
        themselves in government, sports, creative industries, 
        business, academia, social work, and faith-based activities. 
        Appointments to the Advisory Council shall be made without 
        regard to political affiliation. The Secretary of State shall 
        consult with the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee 
        on Foreign Relations in the Senate and the Committee on Foreign 
        Affairs in the House of Representatives during the process of 
        selecting representatives to the Advisory Council.
            (2) Terms.--Each member of the Advisory Council shall serve 
        a 2-year term, without compensation or reimbursement.
            (3) Chair.--The Secretary of State shall designate a member 
        of the Advisory Council to serve as Chair of the Advisory 
        Council.
            (4) Executive director.--The Secretary of State shall 
        designate a senior officer or employee of the Department of 
        State to serve as Executive Director of the Advisory Council.
    (c) Functions.--
            (1) In general.--The Advisory Council shall advise the 
        President, through the Secretary of State, on strengthening 
        connections between the United States Government and the 
        African diaspora in the United States.
            (2) Information, analysis, and recommendations.--In 
        advising the President under paragraph (1), the Advisory 
        Council shall provide information, analysis, and 
        recommendations that address the following:
                    (A) Strategies to advance equity and opportunity 
                for African diaspora communities, including through 
                efforts coordinated by the Domestic Policy Council 
                under Executive Order 13985 (5 U.S.C. 601 note; 
                relating to advancing racial equity and support for 
                underserved communities through the Federal 
                Government).
                    (B) Ways to support the United Nations Permanent 
                Forum on People of African Descent.
                    (C) Programs and initiatives--
                            (i) to strengthen cultural, social, 
                        political, and economic ties between African 
                        communities, the African diaspora, and the 
                        United States, such as the Young African 
                        Leaders Initiative; and
                            (ii) to address challenges and 
                        opportunities to advance inclusion, belonging, 
                        and public awareness of the diversity, 
                        accomplishments, culture, and history of the 
                        African diaspora.
                    (D) Programs and initiatives, such as the 
                International Visitor Leadership Program, to expand 
                educational exchange programs between Africa and the 
                United States.
                    (E) Programs and initiatives to increase public- 
                and private-sector collaboration and community 
                involvement in improving the socioeconomic well-being 
                of African diaspora communities.
                    (F) Programs and initiatives, such as Prosper 
                Africa, to increase participation of members of the 
                African diaspora in the United States with regard to 
                trade, investment, economic growth, and development 
                programs relating to Africa.
                    (G) Such other topics the Secretary of State 
                considers relevant.
    (d) Funding; Administrative Support.--The Secretary of State shall 
provide funding and administrative support for the Advisory Council, to 
the extent permitted by law and using amounts otherwise appropriated to 
the Department of State.
    (e) Meetings.--The Advisory Council shall meet on a quarterly basis 
or more frequently as necessary.
    (f) Congressional Engagement.--The Advisory Council shall brief the 
Committee on Foreign Relations in the Senate and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs in the House of Representatives after each plenary 
session.
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