US HB4808

Secretary of State should delegate pre-approval authority for wire, oral, and electronic communications interceptions to the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security or the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Currently, Diplomatic Security special agents must obtain the Secretary of State's personal pre-approval for each wiretap authorization request under 18 U.S.C. § 2516, which Congress finds significantly restricts timely access to critical information

Delegation aims to align Diplomatic Security agents with other federal law enforcement agencies that can conduct recordings during official activities without requiring cabinet-level approval

Secretary of State should revise section 221.5 of volume 12 of the Foreign Affairs Manual within 90 days of enactment to reflect the new delegation authority

Interceptions must still comply with chapter 119 of title 18 (federal wiretap law) and further the duties under 22 U.S.C. § 2709(a) governing Diplomatic Security's protective and investigative functions