Bill Introduced to Improve U.S. Sports Diplomacy

Four U.S. House representatives have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at upgrading the U.S. State Department’s sports diplomacy efforts before some of the largest events in the world come to the country, and to take advantage of the impact those events can have on other diplomatic fronts. The American Decade of Sports Act was put forth by Reps. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a Democrat from California, Bill Huizenga, a Republican from Michigan, Gregory Meeks, a Democrat from New York, and Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas.

The United States will be home to some of the largest sports events in the world over the next 10 years, beginning with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in 11 U.S. cities. Other major events on the horizon include the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games in Los Angeles, the 2029 World University Games in North Carolina, the 2031 Men’s and 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The U.S. is also the only bidder for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

In announcing the bill, the political leaders noted that the events present a unique opportunity to enhance U.S. diplomacy and global leadership on the world stage. The bill seeks to upgrade the State Department’s sports diplomacy division to its own office and designate it with the responsibility and personnel to implement U.S. sports diplomacy efforts focused on the decade ahead.

“As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible power of sports to break down cultural barriers and unite people around the world,” said Kamlager-Dove. “The American Decade of Sports is our chance to deepen relationships across the globe and cement U.S. leadership — and we can’t let it slip through our fingers. I’m proud to lead the introduction of this bipartisan legislation to ensure that the State Department is equipped to leverage sports diplomacy as a vital U.S. foreign policy tool and capitalize on this defining moment.”

“From the Ryder Cup to the FIFA World Cup and the upcoming Summer and Winter Olympic Games, the United States is set to host some of the most highly viewed, attended, and anticipated international sporting events in the next 10 years,” said Huizenga. “The American Decade of Sports Act ensures that President Trump is able to carry out his revitalization of American sports and that the State Department is readily equipped to implement this newfound focus in terms of strategic planning and staffing. I am proud to champion this bipartisan effort.”

Specifically, the American Decade of Sports Act:

• Directs the State Department to submit a sports diplomacy strategy to leverage the major sporting events being hosted in the United States to enhance U.S. soft power and global leadership;
• Pulls the Sports Diplomacy Division out of the Office of Citizen Exchanges and elevates it to its own Office of Sports Diplomacy;
• Designates the Office of Sports Diplomacy with the responsibility of implementing the mega-decade sports diplomacy strategy;
• Assigns at least three additional staff to the office to implement the strategy; and
• Requires an annual report to Congress on the implementation of the mega-decade sports diplomacy strategy, the restructuring of the sports diplomacy office, and the designation of additional staff to carry out the strategy.

The American Decade of Sports Act is cosponsored by Reps. Bill Huizenga, Gregory Meeks, Michael McCaul, James Moylan, Maria Elvira Salazar, Michael Lawler, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Ted Lieu, Dina Titus, Gabe Amo, Kathy Castor, Sarah McBride, Jonathan L. Jackson, Nikema Williams, Hank Johnson, Don Bacon, Michael Baumgartner, Aumua Amata Radewagen, Buddy Carter, Young Kim, Rich McCormick, William R. Keating, and Greg Stanton.