Department of State 4 in the United States

See:

• Department of State
• Department of State 2
• Department of State 3
• Department of State 5

Legal Adviser

The Office of the Legal Adviser advises the Secretary of State and other Department of?cials on all domestic and international legal matters
relating to the Department of State, Foreign Service, and diplomatic and
consular posts abroad. The Office’s lawyers draft, negotiate, and interpret
treaties, international agreements, domestic statutes, departmental
regulations, Executive orders, and other legal documents; provide guidance on
international and domestic law; represent the United States in international
organization, negotiation, and treaty commission meetings; work on domestic
and foreign litigation affecting the Department’s interests; and represent
the United States before international tribunals, including the International
Court of Justice.

For further information, contact the Office of the Legal Adviser. Phone, 202–647–9598. Fax, 202–647–7096. Internet, http://www.state.gov/s/l/.

Legislative Affairs

The Bureau of Legislative Affairs coordinates legislative activity for the Department of State
and advises the Secretary, the Deputy, as well as the Under Secretaries and
Assistant Secretaries on legislative strategy. The Bureau facilitates
effective communication between State Department of?cials and the
Members of Congress and their staffs.

Legislative Affairs works closely with the authorizing, appropriations, and oversight
committees of the House and Senate, as well as with individual Members that
have an interest in State Department or foreign policy issues. The Bureau also
manages Department testimony before House and Senate hearings, organizes
Member and staff brie?ngs, facilitates congressional travel to overseas posts for
Members and staff throughout the year, and reviews proposed legislation and coordinates Statements of Administration Policy on legislation affecting the
conduct of U.S. foreign policy. Legislative Affairs staff advises individual Bureaus
of the Department on legislative and outreach strategies and coordinates those
strategies with the Secretary’s priorities.

For further information, contact the Bureau of Legislative Affairs. Phone, 202–647–1714.

Medical Services

The Office of Medical Services (MED) develops, manages, and staffs a worldwide primary health care system for U.S. Government employees
and their eligible dependents residing overseas. In support of its overseas
operations, MED approves and monitors the medical evacuation of patients,
conducts pre-employment and in-service physical clearance examinations, and
provides clinical referral and advisory services. MED also provides for
emergency medical response in the event of a crisis at an overseas post.

For further information, contact the Office of Medical Services. Phone, 202–663–1649. Fax, 202–663–1613.

Oceans and International Environmental and Scienti?c Affairs

The Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scienti?c Affairs (OES) serves as the foreign policy focal point for international
oceans, environmental, and scienti?c efforts. OES projects, protects, and
promotes U.S. global interests in these areas by articulating U.S. foreign policy,
encouraging international cooperation, and negotiating treaties and other
instruments of international law. The Bureau serves as the principal adviser
to the Secretary of State on international environment, science, and technology
matters and takes the lead in coordinating and brokering diverse interests in
the interagency process, where the development of international policies
or the negotiation and implementation of relevant international agreements are
concerned. The Bureau seeks to promote the peaceful exploitation of outer space,
develop and coordinate policy on international health issues, encourage
government-to-government scienti?c cooperation, and prevent the destruction and degradation of the planet’s natural resources and the global environment.

For further information, contact the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and
Scienti?c Affairs. Phone, 202–647–6961. Fax, 202–647–0217.

Overseas Buildings Operations

The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) directs the worldwide overseas
buildings program for the Department of State and the U.S. Government
community serving abroad under the authority of the chiefs of mission. Along
with the input and support of other State Department bureaus, foreign
affairs agencies, and Congress, OBO sets worldwide priorities for the design,
construction, acquisition, maintenance, use, and sale of real properties and the
use of sales proceeds. OBO also serves as the Single Real Property Manager of all
overseas facilities under the authority of the chiefs of mission.

For further information, contact the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations. Phone, 703–875–4131. Fax, 703–875–5043. Internet, http://www.state.gov/obo.

Political-Military Affairs

The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs is the principal link between the Departments of State and Defense and is the Department of State’s lead on operational military matters. The Bureau provides policy direction in the areas of international
security, security assistance, military operations, defense strategy and policy,
counterpiracy measures, and defense trade. Its responsibilities include
coordinating the U.S. Government’s response to piracy in the waters off the
Horn of Africa, securing base access to support the deployment of U.S.
military forces overseas, negotiating status of forces agreements, coordinating
participation in coalition combat and stabilization forces, regulating arms
transfers, directing military assistance to U.S. allies, combating illegal traf?cking
in small arms and light weapons, facilitating the education and training
of international peacekeepers and foreign military personnel, managing
humanitarian mine action programs, and assisting other countries in reducing the availability of man-portable air defense systems.

For further information, contact the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Phone, 202–647–5104. Fax, 202–736–4413. Internet, http://www.state.gov/t/pm.