U.S. Capitol This Week May 2-8

U.S. Department of State

• The State Department’s newly released international cybersecurity strategy is the first U.S. global cyber strategy in over a decade. It calls on the U.S. to lead in cyber diplomacy efforts and push more “action-oriented conversations” at the U.N. and set AI “cyber norms”.

• The U.S. Treasury Department has unveiled its Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (ODEIA) in hopes of “Enhanc[ing] Reputation and Brand Image” with partners at home and abroad. The DEIA agenda is not only receiving pushback in legislation at home and abroad but at a time when this administration’s ideological stance is straining the U.S.’s relations with other countries. 

U.S. Congress

• A “woke” agenda is also of concern to Congress, as was evident in a hearing on the International Development Corporation, which provides loans to foreign countries for projects such as energy, and roads. Chairman Díaz-Balart, head of appropriations for State and Foreign Operations, spoke with Scott Nathan, the CEO of the International Development Corporation saying he was “concerned that going too far down the Biden Administration’s “woke” agenda jeopardizes this agency’s widespread bipartisan support.” After the hearing, he spoke off camera with the CEO to appeal to his best interest saying that “we cannot lose your work in favor of a woke agenda.”