The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nations, its primary duties are advising the U.S. president on international relations, administering diplomatic missions, negotiating international treaties and agreements, and representing the U.S. at the United Nations. The department is headquartered in the Harry S Truman Building, a few blocks from the White House, in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C.; "Foggy Bottom" is thus sometimes used as a metonym.
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal lands and natural resources. It also administers programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, territorial affairs, and insular areas of the United States, as well as programs related to historic preservation. About 75% of federal public land is managed by the department, with most of the remainder managed by the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. The department was created on March 3, 1849. It is headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C.
The Bureau of Legislative Affairs, also known as the "H Bureau", is an office of the United States Department of State that coordinates legislative activity for the Department and advises the Secretary, the Deputy, as well as the under secretaries and assistant secretaries on legislative strategy. The bureau facilitates communication between State Department officials and the Members of Congress and their staffs. The bureau works closely with authorizing, appropriations, and oversight committees of the House and Senate, as well as with individual members that have an interest in State Department or foreign policy issues. The bureau manages department testimony before House and Senate hearings, organizes member and staff briefings, and facilitates Congressional travel to overseas posts for members and staff throughout the year. The bureau reviews proposed legislation and coordinates Statements of Administration Policy on legislation affecting the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. The bureau staff advises individual bureaus of the department on legislative and outreach strategies and coordinates those strategies with the secretary's priorities.
Assistant Secretary of State (A/S) is a title used for many executive positions in the United States Department of State, ranking below the under secretaries. A set of six assistant secretaries reporting to the under secretary for political affairs manage diplomatic missions within their designated geographic regions, plus one assistant secretary dealing with international organizations and one equivalent as the coordinator/ambassador at large for counterterrorism. Assistant secretaries usually manage individual bureaus of the Department of State. When the manager of a bureau or another agency holds a title other than assistant secretary, such as "director", it can be said to be of "assistant secretary equivalent rank". Assistant secretaries typically have a set of deputies, referred to as deputy assistant secretaries (DAS).
The Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs is a former position within the United States Department of State that, according to the Department website, "coordinates U.S. foreign relations on a variety of global issues, including democracy, human rights, and labor; environment, oceans, and science; population, refugees, and migration; women's issues; and trafficking in persons." The office was last held by Maria Otero. Other former Under Secretaries were Timothy Wirth, Frank E. Loy, and Paula Dobriansky.
The under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs is currently a top-ten ranking position in the U.S. Department of State tasked to help ensure public diplomacy is practiced in combination with public affairs and traditional diplomacy to advance U.S. national interests. The under secretary oversees two bureaus at the State Department: Educational and Cultural Affairs and Global Public Affairs. Also reporting to the under secretary are the Global Engagement Center, the Office of Policy, Planning and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, and the Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.
In the United States Government, the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR) is part of the United States Department of State, charged with implementing U.S. foreign policy and promoting U.S. interests in Europe and Eurasia, as well as advising the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. It is headed by the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Affairs (DRL) is a bureau within the United States Department of State. The bureau is under the purview of the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.
The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM) is an agency within the United States Department of State that bridges the Department of State with the Department of Defense. It provides policy in the areas of international security, security assistance, military operations, defense strategy and policy, military use of space, and defense trade. It is headed by the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs.
The Bureau of Public Affairs (PA) was the part of the United States Department of State that carries out the Secretary of State's mandate to help Americans understand the importance of foreign policy. The Bureau was led by the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. On May 28, 2019, the bureau merged with the Bureau of International Information Programs into the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, and the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State merged into the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs.
The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) supported the department's public diplomacy efforts by providing and supporting the places, content, and infrastructure needed for "sustained conversations" with foreign audiences. It was headed by the Coordinator for International Information Programs. IIP was one of three bureaus that reported to the Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Bureau of Public Affairs were its sister bureaus. On May 28, 2019, IIP merged with the Bureau of Public Affairs into the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, and the duties of IIP Coordinator merged into the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs.
The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) is an operating unit of the United States Department of Labor which manages the department's international responsibilities. According to its mission statement:
The Coordinator for International Information Programs was the head of the Bureau of International Information Programs within the United States Department of State. The Coordinator for International Information Programs reported to the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. As the head of the bureau, the Coordinator for International Information Programs had a rank equivalent to Assistant Secretary. On May 28, 2019, the Bureau of International Information Programs merged with the Bureau of Public Affairs into the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, and the duties of the position merged into the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs.
The Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs was the head of the Bureau of Public Affairs within the United States Department of State. The Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs reports to the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. On May 28, 2019, the bureau merged with the Bureau of International Information Programs into the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, and the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State merged into the duties of the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs.
The Spokesperson for the United States Department of State is a U.S. government official whose primary responsibility is to serve as the spokesperson for the United States Department of State and the U.S. government's foreign policies. The position is located in the Bureau of Global Public Affairs.
The Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) is a bureau in the United States Department of State that coordinates the department's efforts in promoting international energy security. Under the purview of the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. the Bureau of Energy Resources' current head is Assistant Secretary Geoffrey R. Pyatt.
The Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs is the head of the Bureau of Global Public Affairs within the United States Department of State. The Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs reports to the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. The position was formed on May 28, 2019 with the merging of the Bureau of International Information Programs and the Bureau of Public Affairs.
