To provide for the International Security Affairs authorities of the Department of State.

Download PDF
Bill ID: 119/hr/5247
Last Updated: December 15, 2025

Sponsored by

Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]

ID: S001224

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 28 - 19.

September 18, 2025

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of bureaucratic doublespeak, crafted by the finest minds in Congress (I use that term loosely). Let's dissect this monstrosity and expose its true intentions.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's primary objective is to reorganize the Department of State's International Security Affairs authorities. In other words, it's a game of musical chairs, where politicians get to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic while pretending to address actual problems.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:**

1. The Under Secretary for International Security Affairs will now oversee a plethora of new responsibilities, including nonproliferation, arms control, and counterterrorism. Because what could possibly go wrong with giving one person that much power? 2. The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking is established, complete with a Director who'll have the authority to take evidence in public hearings. How quaint. As if this will magically solve the complex issue of human trafficking. 3. Various Assistant Secretaries are authorized, including those for Political-Military Affairs and International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Because we clearly need more bureaucrats to "coordinate" with other agencies.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:**

1. The Department of State, which will now have even more layers of bureaucracy to navigate. 2. Various government agencies, such as the Department of Defense, which will be forced to "coordinate" with these new Assistant Secretaries. 3. Nongovernmental organizations and multilateral organizations, which will likely be consulted but ultimately ignored. 4. Trafficking victims or affected persons, who might get a few crumbs from this bureaucratic behemoth.

**Potential Impact & Implications:**

1. More red tape and inefficiency within the Department of State. 2. Increased opportunities for corruption and cronyism, as these new Assistant Secretaries will have significant power to allocate funds and resources. 3. A continued lack of meaningful action on human trafficking, as this bill focuses more on bureaucratic reshuffling than actual solutions. 4. Further erosion of accountability, as these new offices and positions will create even more layers of bureaucracy to obscure responsibility.

In conclusion, HR 5247 is a textbook example of legislative theater, designed to create the illusion of progress while actually accomplishing nothing. It's a symptom of a deeper disease: the chronic inability of politicians to address real problems, instead opting for superficial fixes that benefit their own interests and egos.

Related Topics

Transportation & Infrastructure Federal Budget & Appropriations Small Business & Entrepreneurship Government Operations & Accountability National Security & Intelligence State & Local Government Affairs Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Congressional Rules & Procedures Civil Rights & Liberties
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$105,700
20 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$300
Committees
$0
Individuals
$105,400

No PAC contributions found

1
TUCKER HILL HOA
1 transaction
$300

No committee contributions found

1
CHALIN, THOMAS
2 transactions
$11,600
2
MULLIGI, GINO
1 transaction
$9,000
3
FRITCHER, SAMMY
1 transaction
$6,600
4
LOBB, PAT
1 transaction
$6,600
5
MYERS, ROBERT
1 transaction
$6,600
6
HUFFINES, RAY
1 transaction
$6,600
7
MOSES, FRED
1 transaction
$6,600
8
LI, QINGSONG
1 transaction
$6,000
9
UIHLEIN, RICHARD
1 transaction
$5,800
10
HILTON, W.D.
1 transaction
$5,000
11
KORCA, YLBER
1 transaction
$5,000
12
SMAJLI, MARIO
1 transaction
$5,000
13
KRASNIQI, BLERINA
1 transaction
$4,500
14
QUILLIN, GEORGE
1 transaction
$4,000
15
ADAMS, CAROL A
1 transaction
$3,300
16
DEASON, DARWIN
1 transaction
$3,300
17
MCCLELLAND, MARK
1 transaction
$3,300
18
KELLOGG, DAVID H
1 transaction
$3,300
19
HILTON, MARY JEAN
1 transaction
$3,300

Donor Network - Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 21 nodes and 21 connections

Total contributions: $105,700

Top Donors - Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]

Showing top 20 donors by contribution amount

1 Org19 Individuals