,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #deag  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #ab1     
#bjbd,mr4 ,merkley introduced the       
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,foreign 
,relations  ,a ,,bill  ,to authorize the
 establishment of a ,negotiations       
,support ,unit in the ,department of    
,state1 and for other purposes4  #a4    
,authority to establish ,negotiations   
,support ,unit within ,department of    
,state  7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is  
the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 there
 is a need for the ,united ,states      
,government to maintain a permanent     
institutional hub for technical         
expertise1 strategic advice1 and        
knowledge management in negotiations1   
mediation1 and peace processes in order 
to prioritize and invest in diplomacy2  
7#b7 the ,united ,states plays a unique 
role in enabling and supporting peace   
processes and complex political         
negotiations1 the success of which are  

essential to stability and democracy    
around the world2  7#c7 the meaningful  
engagement of conflict-affected         
communities1 particularly women1 youth1 
and other impacted populations1 is vital
 to durable1 implementable1 and         
sustainable peace2  7#d7 negotiation    
requires a specific technical and       
functional skillset1 and thus           
institutional expertise in this practice
 area should include trained            
practitioners and subject matter        
experts2  7#e7 such skills should       
continue to be employed as the ,united  
,states advises and contributes to peace
 processes1 including those where the   
,united ,states plays a supporting role 
or is led by multilateral and           
international partners2 and  7#f7       
training programs for ,united ,states   
diplomats should draw upon this         
expertise and ,united ,states lessons   
learned to help equip diplomats with    
skills to respond to peace processes and
 complex political negotiations1 and how

 to request support4  7b7 ,negotiations 
,support ,unit ,section #a of the ,state
 ,department ,basic ,authorities ,act   
7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bfea;a7 is amended by   
adding at the end the following new     
subsection3  7p7 ,negotiations ,support 
,unit  7#a7 ,authority to establish ,the
 ,secretary of ,state may establish     
within the ,department of ,state a unit 
to be known as the ,negotiations        
,support ,unit responsible for carrying 
out the functions described in paragraph
 7#b71 as appropriate4  7#b7 ,functions 
,the functions described in this        
paragraph are the following3 7,a7       
,serving as a permanent institutional   
hub and resource for negotiations and   
peace process expertise and knowledge   
management4  7,b7 ,advising the         
,secretary of ,state1 other relevant    
senior officials1 members of the        
,foreign ,service1 and employees of the 
,department of ,state on the substance1 
process1 and strategy of negotiations1  
mediation1 peace processes1 and other   

complex political negotiations from     
strategy and planning to implementation4
  7,c7 ,supporting the development and  
implementation of ,united ,states policy
 related to complex political           
negotiations and peace processes1       
including those led by multilateral and 
international partners4  7,d7 ,advising 
on mediation and negotiations programs  
to implement ,united ,states policy4    
7,e7 ,supporting training for ,foreign  
,services ,officers and civil servants  
on tailored negotiation and mediation   
skills4  7,f7 ,working with other       
governments1 international              
organizations1 and nongovernmental      
organizations1 as appropriate1 to       
support the development and             
implementation of ,united ,states policy
 on peace processes and complex         
political negotiations4  7,g7 ,any      
additional duties the ,secretary of     
,state may prescribe4  7#c7             
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated        

#e1jjj1jjj for the establishment of the 
,negotiations ,support ,unit under      
paragraph 7#a74  4