(a) Initial designation

Not later than 30 days after December 16, 2016, the Department of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report, in classified form, that contains a list of diplomatic and consular posts designated as high risk, high threat posts.

(b) Designations before opening or reopening posts

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In 22 USC 4803

  • State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7

Before opening or reopening a diplomatic or consular post, the Secretary shall determine if such post should be designated as a high risk, high threat post.

(c) Designating existing posts

The Secretary shall regularly review existing diplomatic and consular posts to determine if any such post should be designated as a high risk, high threat post if conditions at such post or the surrounding security environment require such a designation.

(d) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Appropriate congressional committees

The term “appropriate congressional committees” means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

(2) High risk, high threat post

The term “high risk, high threat post” means a United States diplomatic or consular post or other United States mission abroad, as determined by the Secretary, that, among other factors—

(A) is located in a country—

(i) with high to critical levels of political violence and terrorism; and

(ii) the government of which lacks the ability or willingness to provide adequate security; and


(B) has mission physical security platforms that fall below the Department of State’s established standards.