HR5021-119

What This Bill Does

This bill directs the State Department to use the major sporting events hosted in the United States during the next decade as a diplomacy platform. Within 120 days, the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs must submit a five-year Mega-Decade Sports Diplomacy Strategy to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Five years later, the Assistant Secretary must submit a second five-year strategy. The strategy must define diplomatic objectives, success metrics, partnerships with host cities, diaspora communities, creatives, athletes, the sports industry, private-sector entities, human rights organizations, and civil society stakeholders.

The bill also renames the State Department's sports diplomacy division as the Office of Sports Diplomacy, places it under the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Professional and Cultural Exchanges, and assigns it responsibility for implementing the strategy. The Office must coordinate across State Department bureaus, work with host cities and their social, political, and economic partners, engage diaspora communities, partner with sports leagues and athletes, collaborate with trade and tourism offices, elevate American arts, film, and music creators, and coordinate visa processing for eligible international visitors, broadcasters, athletes, and support staff. The Secretary of State must submit annual implementation reports until December 31, 2034.

Who Benefits and How

The Office of Sports Diplomacy benefits from a formal name, placement, and implementation mandate. Host cities for major sporting events benefit from State Department coordination that can deepen foreign engagement, tourism, trade, and commercial ties. U.S. sports leagues, athletes, and sports-industry companies benefit from a federal strategy to promote international partnerships and sports diplomacy programs. Diaspora communities benefit from formal engagement around foreign visitors and officials. American arts, film, and music creators benefit from being included in cultural exchange around the events. International visitors, broadcasters, athletes, and support staff benefit from coordinated visa-processing attention. Human rights organizations and civil society stakeholders benefit from a seat in the strategy's partnership plan.

Who Bears the Burden and How

State Department Educational and Cultural Affairs staff must write two five-year strategies and define diplomatic objectives, metrics, partnerships, and internal coordination plans. Office of Sports Diplomacy staff must manage exchange programs, host-city engagement, diaspora outreach, sports-industry partnerships, cultural promotion, and interagency visa coordination. State Department visa-processing staff must coordinate efficient processing for eligible event visitors and support personnel. Host city trade and tourism offices must work with State and foreign partners. Congressional foreign affairs committee staff must review annual implementation reports through 2034.

Key Provisions

• Requires a five-year Mega-Decade Sports Diplomacy Strategy within 120 days and a second strategy five years later.
• Directs the strategy to use major U.S.-hosted sporting events to advance soft power, diplomatic relationships, and global leadership.
• Establishes the Office of Sports Diplomacy by renaming the State Department sports diplomacy division.
• Requires the Office to coordinate host-city, diaspora, sports-industry, cultural, trade, tourism, and visa-related diplomacy work.
• Requires annual State Department implementation reports to Congress until December 31, 2034.