Rep. Dina Titus State Department Reauthorization provisions

Share on Facebook Share on X Print this Page Share by Email

Washington, September 12, 2025 | Dick Cooper (2027340020)

Congresswoman Dina Titus announced today that five of her foreign policy priorities have been included in the State Department Authorization bill recently released by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"These measures are important steps in expanding U.S. diplomatic capacity and the advancement of our global leadership role," Congresswoman Titus said. "They strengthen our alliance with Cyprus; identify vital resources the State Department desperately needs; address the backlog of tourist visas and takes steps to chip away at it; create mechanisms that challenge conventional foreign policy thinking and spur on principled policymaking; and alleviate malnutrition through increased cooperation between the State Department and global non-profit and multilateral organizations."

"A well-resourced State Department and capable U.S. diplomats around the world are key to ensuring the safety and security of Nevadans," she said.

The following are Congresswoman Titus's provisions included in the State Department reauthorization legislation:

Cyprus arms embargo reform

This would extend the waiver renewal period for the arms embargo on the Republic of Cyprus from one year to five years. The annual renewal requirement restricts Cyprus's ability to plan and procure U.S. defense articles effectively, compromises U.S.-Cypriot military interoperability, and impedes joint research on cybersecurity and maritime security.

This provision allows greater flexibility for Cypriots to do long-term security and military planning and allows Cyprus to more capably work with us to advance security in a turbulent region.

Unfunded priorities list

This would empower the State Department by requiring State to submit an annual unfunded priorities list (UPL) to Congress. This list would report on the unfunded programs, activities, and mission requirements within the U.S. Department of State.

Every year, the military services and intelligence community submit unfunded priorities lists to Congress as part of the annual budget process. The State Department should be able to participate as well.

The text from this provision is identical to Rep. Titus's Fully Funding our National Security Priorities Act.

Reducing visa wait time

This will allow greater flexibility for the Consular Affairs Bureau at the State Department to use the money collected from passport and visa fees to address the massive backlog in processing tourist visas at various consular posts overseas.

The provision urges the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs to take such steps as appropriate for the goal of ensuring that 80% of nonimmigrant visa applicants are interviewed within three weeks of receipt of their visa application. The exorbitant wait times for B1/B2 visitor visas at U.S. consular posts around the world harms Southern Nevada's tourism economy. By reducing the backlog and processing visas more quickly, more people will be able to visit the hotels, casinos, restaurants, and shops in the Valley.

This provision comes from Rep. Titus's Visa Improvement, Streamlined Investment, and Tourism Optimization Reform (VISITOR) Act.

Red team capability

This provision codifies a recommendation from the State Department's After Action Review on Afghanistan. Specifically, this priority directs the Secretary of State to establish a red team capability to challenge underlying policy assumptions, especially those that impact contingency planning.

Authorization of global malnutrition efforts

Authorizes the Under Secretary for Strategic Assistance to provide assistance to monitor and treat malnutrition by Exercising strategic oversight of, and provide direction for, the nutrition response component of humanitarian programming; and Coordinating, overseeing and supporting collaborative activities, programming and initiatives with the interagency, multilateral organizations, and other partners, including Food for Peace, Feed the Future, UNICEF, and the World Food Programme.