Securing U.S. Diplomatic Facilities and Personnel Abroad: Legislative and Executive Branch Initiatives. Alex Tiersky, Analyst in Foreign Affairs. September 12, 2013
“The September 11, 2012, attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, prompted sustained congressional attention on the specific circumstances of the events in question, as well as broader questions regarding how U.S. diplomatic personnel and facilities abroad are secured. Ensuring that the Department of State is better prepared for the possibility of similar attacks in the future has been a central congressional concern. The Department of State undertook a number of measures in response to the attack, including immediate steps to bolster security at posts around the world; an investigation of the incident through an Accountability Review Board; and longer-term measures implementing the board’s recommendations, including requests for significantly greater funding than in recent years. Congress has conducted oversight through investigations by a number of committees and through a number of hearings. Members have also put forward legislative proposals on issues ranging from the composition of Accountability Review Boards to procedures for awarding local security guard force contracts.”
- See also CRS – Securing U.S. Diplomatic Facilities and Personnel Abroad: Background and Policy Issues, September 12, 2013
