# Plain Language Summary of H.R. 5627

This bill requires the State Department to provide Congress with detailed information about how the U.S. government's Special Presidential Envoy for Climate operates and spends money. Within 90 days of the bill becoming law, the Secretary of State must submit a report to the relevant congressional committees covering three main areas.

First, the report must show exactly how much money was spent on the climate envoy's office during 2021 and 2022, breaking down all the expenditures. Second, it requires a complete accounting of who works in this office—how many temporary employees and full-time staff members are on the payroll, along with the names of all permanent employees. Third, the report must detail the climate envoy's international travel, including how much carbon was produced by their air travel and a complete record of every meeting with foreign leaders, including when they happened, who attended, and what was discussed.

The practical effect of this bill is to increase transparency and accountability for this particular government position. Members of Congress will be able to see exactly how taxpayer money is being spent on climate diplomacy efforts and who is involved in those efforts. The requirement to track carbon emissions from the envoy's air travel is particularly notable—it essentially asks the government to measure whether the person responsible for climate policy is practicing what they preach when it comes to reducing emissions. For most Americans, this bill won't have a direct impact on daily life, but it does represent Congress's attempt to oversee and scrutinize how the executive branch conducts its climate diplomacy work.

To require a report relating to the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

Burchett, Tim

 <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">This bill requires the Department of State to submit a report to Congress relating to the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. The State Department must provide in the report</p> <ul> <li>budget information on expenditures of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate during FY2021 and FY2022,&nbsp;</li> <li>the number and names of employees working in the Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, and&nbsp;</li> <li>information about carbon emissions associated with the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate's air travel and the Envoy's meetings with foreign leaders. </li> </ul>