---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 6501"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "6501"
heading: "Purposes"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/6501"
units:
  - "Chapter 74 — Foreign Affairs Agencies Consolidation"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §6501. Purposes


The purposes of this chapter are—

- (1) to strengthen—
  - (A) the coordination of United States foreign policy; and
  - (B) the leading role of the Secretary of State in the formulation and articulation of United States foreign policy;
- (2) to consolidate and reinvigorate the foreign affairs [functions](/usc/22/6502.md?p=7) of the United States within the Department of State by—
  - (A) abolishing the United States Arms Control and Disarmament [Agency](/usc/22/6502.md?p=3), the United States Information [Agency](/usc/22/6502.md?p=3), and the United States International Development Cooperation [Agency](/usc/22/6502.md?p=3), and transferring the [functions](/usc/22/6502.md?p=7) of these [agencies](/usc/22/6502.md?p=3) to the Department of State while preserving the special missions and skills of these [agencies](/usc/22/6502.md?p=3);
  - (B) transferring certain [functions](/usc/22/6502.md?p=7) of the [Agency](/usc/22/6502.md?p=3) for International Development to the Department of State; and
  - (C) providing for the reorganization of the Department of State to maximize the efficient use of resources, which may lead to budget savings, eliminated redundancy in [functions](/usc/22/6502.md?p=7), and improvement in the management of the Department of State;
- (3) to ensure that programs critical to the promotion of United States national interests be maintained;
- (4) to assist congressional efforts to balance the Federal budget and reduce the Federal debt;
- (5) to ensure that the United States maintains effective representation abroad within budgetary restraints; and
- (6) to encourage United States foreign affairs [agencies](/usc/22/6502.md?p=3) to maintain a high percentage of the best qualified, most competent United States citizens serving in the United States Government.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. A, title XI, § 1102, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–765.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this subdivision”, meaning subdiv. A of div. G of Pub. L. 105–277, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–765, known as the Foreign Affairs Agencies Consolidation Act of 1998. For complete classification of this subdivision to the Code, see Short Title note below and Tables.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title

Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, § 1001, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–761, provided that: “This division [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998’.”

Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. A, title XI, § 1101, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–765, provided that: “This subdivision [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Foreign Affairs Agencies Consolidation Act of 1998’.”