Department of State (DOS)
By Harley Hentges & Caleb Sebora
- Responsible for implementing foreign policy of the United States
- Staffs embassies
- Protects rights of U.S. citizens travelling to foreign countries
- Analyzes issues related to American interests in other countries
- Represents American positions to the United Nations through the ambassador to the UN (who is appointed by the president)
John Kerry - Secretary of State
The U.S. Secretary of State's main job description is:
- Serve as the President's main adviser on U.S. foreign policy
- Conduct negotiations relating to U.S. foreign affairs
- Grants and issues passports to American citizens and exequaturs to foreign consuls in the United States
-Advises the President on the appointment of U.S. ambassadors, ministers, consuls, and other diplomatic representatives
- Advises the President regarding the acceptance, recall, and dismissal of the representatives of foreign governments
- Personally participates in or directs U.S. representatives to international conferences, organizations, and agencies
- Negotiates, interprets, and terminates treaties and agreements
- Ensures the protection of the U.S. Government to American citizens, property, and interests in foreign countries
- Supervises the administration of U.S. immigration laws abroad
- Provides information to American citizens regarding the political, economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian conditions in foreign countries
- Informs the Congress and American citizens on the conduct of U.S. foreign relations
- Promotes beneficial economic intercourse between the United States and other countries
- Administers the Department of State
- Supervises the Foreign Service of the United States
2015 Budget
The President’s FY 2015 budget request for the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is $46.2 billion. The request reflects continued American leadership in pursuit of stability and prosperity while making tough trade-offs to support national security, diplomatic, and development priorities.
Mindful of fiscal constraints, this budget provides American taxpayers a remarkable return on their investment in American leadership. With just over one percent of the federal budget, the State Department and USAID budget provides security, stability, prosperity, jobs, and opportunity as it addresses some of the most complex challenges of our time, ranging from extremism and fragile and failed states, to global food security and climate change. It also expands opportunities for diplomatic engagement with the governments and citizens in 190 countries, building partnerships that help protect U.S. interests, promote common values, expand economic opportunities at home and abroad, and empower the next generation.