This bill reorganizes and strengthens the Department of State's structure for international security affairs by establishing a new Under Secretary for International Security Affairs. This Under Secretary will be responsible for a wide array of matters, including international security policy and assistance, arms control, nonproliferation, counterterrorism, and emerging threats. Their duties include developing policies for the Secretary and Deputy Secretary and leading engagements with other agencies and international partners.

The legislation also mandates the establishment of an Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking within the Department, reporting directly to the new Under Secretary for day-to-day administration. This office will be headed by a Director, appointed by the President with Senate consent and holding the rank of Ambassador-at-Large, tasked with assisting the Secretary in implementing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. The Director's responsibilities encompass policy, funding, program coordination, and producing the annual trafficking in persons report.

Furthermore, the bill authorizes the creation of several Assistant Secretary positions, each reporting to the Under Secretary for International Security Affairs. These include an Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, focusing on coordination with defense entities, and an Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, overseeing anti-crime and law enforcement initiatives. New Assistant Secretaries for Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats are also established, with the latter addressing issues such as lethal autonomous systems, bioweapons, and the military applications of advanced technologies like AI and quantum information science.

The Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs will specifically lead efforts to combat international drug trafficking, strengthen foreign justice systems, and address various forms of transnational organized crime, including human trafficking and illicit finance. The bill also establishes a Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation and a Bureau of Emerging Threats, formalizing these critical areas. Appropriations are authorized for these new roles and bureaus for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

Finally, the legislation includes provisions to update statutory references, ensuring that existing laws and documents align with the newly established titles and organizational structure within the Department of State.