10 FAM 130
REMARKS AND WRITINGS FOR THE MEDIA AND GENERAL PUBLIC
(CT:PEC-77; 03-14-2019)
(Office of Origin: PA/EX)
10 FAM 131 POLICY, SCOPE, AND AUTHORITY
10 FAM 131.1 Policy
(CT:PEC-35; 08-21-2017)
a. All official statements to the press must be
approved by the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs/Spokesperson.
b. All official public remarks and testimony by
Assistant Secretaries and above must be approved by the Assistant Secretary for
Public Affairs.
c. Official appearances before the media or general
public to give formal interviews, speeches, or remarks must be cleared with the
Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. See 10 FAM 131.4.
See also 3 FAM
4174.2 and 3 FAM 4174.3.
d. All unofficial speaking, writing, or teaching
activities that are of official concern must be approved by the Assistant
Secretary for Public Affairs, in accordance with 3 FAM 4174.2 and 3 FAM 4174.3.
e. The Office of Inspector General is exempt from these
clearances and approvals but will notify the Assistant Secretary for Public
Affairs or designee when testifying, making public remarks, interviews,
speeches, and relevant writing and teaching.
10 FAM 131.2 Scope
(CT:PEC-35; 08-21-2017)
a. The policy for official public remarks applies to
all current Department of State employees.
b. The policy for unofficial speaking, writing, or
teaching (see 10
FAM 131.4) applies to all current Department of State employees.
c. Former employees remain obligated by law not to
disclose classified information, and certain employees may be bound by
nondisclosure agreements. See also 3 FAM 4174.2 paragraph d.
10 FAM 131.3 Responsibilities
(CT:PEC-25; 08-30-2013)
a. The Bureau of Public Affairs (PA) clears all
Department statements, speeches released to the press, and media interviews.
b. The PA bureau drafts speeches and testimony for the
Secretary. It clears all public remarks by senior officials above the
Assistant Secretary level.
c. The bureau clears all official appearances before
the general public.
d. The bureau oversees the wide dissemination of public
remarks and the approval of unofficial speaking, writing, or teaching (see 10 FAM 131.4).
10 FAM 131.4 Definitions
(CT:PEC-35; 08-21-2017)
a. Official: Speaking,
writing, or teaching is official (and automatically of official concern) when
conducted in connection with Department employment, or in any capacity
representing the Department of State, regardless of location:
(1) Statements to the press include any remark to the
press that quotes, reflects the views of, or gives the Departments position,
or represents the Department in any way;
(2) Public remarks include speeches, congressional
testimony, press statements, and remarks prepared for photo opportunities;
(3) Public appearances include appearances before the
general public for the purpose of giving speeches or other remarks;
(4) Media interviews include those with newspaper,
magazine, TV, radio, or other forums; and
(5) Teaching includes that which involves subject
matter of official concern and/or occurs on duty, on U.S. Government property,
or under U.S. Government sponsorship.
b. Of official concern: These
activities reasonably may be interpreted as relating to the current
responsibilities, programs, or operations of the Department of State or to
current U.S. foreign policies and activities such as public speaking, writing
or teaching materials, or those which reasonably may be expected to affect the
foreign relations of the United States. They require Department clearance in
accordance with 3
FAM 4174.2 (see also 10 FAM 131.1).
Those activities and subjects not included in this definition do not require
clearance. When in doubt, contact the Office of Website Management (PA/WM).
c. Unofficial: Speaking,
writing, or teaching is unofficial when conducted in a private capacity outside
U.S. Government property, work hours, or orders and concerns such matters as
the employee or former employee may be involved in by virtue of unofficial,
personal, or avocational interests. These activities fall into two categories:
(1) Unofficial but of official concern (see paragraph
b of this section); or
(2) Unofficial and of no official concern. These are
all activities and subjects that do not require clearance (see 10 FAM 131.4,
paragraph b).
d. Electronic dissemination:
Includes but is not limited to any information dissemination through public
computer bulletin boards or other on-line systems, e-mail, CD-ROM, or digital
audio tape.
e. Organized hard-copy dissemination:
Includes but is not limited to any hard-copy material reproduced using a
copier, printing press, or similar equipment that is disseminated through any
sales program or is disseminated free to the public regularly and/or through a
mailing list to selected audiences (as opposed to limited copies reproduced in
response to specific requests from the public on an ad hoc basis).
10 FAM 131.5 Authorities
(CT:PEC-25; 08-30-2013)
Basic Bureau of Public Affairs authorities are found at 1 FAM 320.
10 FAM 132 OFFICIAL STATEMENTS AND
REMARKS TO THE PRESS
(CT:PEC-25; 08-30-2013)
Generally, statements to the press are made only by the
Secretary; a Deputy Secretary or Under Secretary; the Assistant Secretary for
Public Affairs/Department Spokesman or Deputy Spokesman; authorized personnel
of the Office of Press Relations; and other Department officials cleared to
deliver such statements by the Bureau of Public Affairs.
10 FAM 133 PREPARING OFFICIAL PUBLIC
REMARKS
(CT:PEC-25; 08-30-2013)
At the level of Assistant Secretary and above, submit
drafts of public remarks as early as possible for clearance by the Assistant
Secretary for Public Affairs or designee within the Bureau of Public Affairs.
10 FAM 134 PUBLIC APPEARANCES
10 FAM 134.1 Media
(CT:PEC-25; 08-30-2013)
The Office of Press Relations (PA/Press) clears all
requests and arrangements for interviews with the media.
10 FAM 134.2 General Public
(CT:PEC-35; 08-21-2017)
a. Officers must obtain clearance from the Office of
Public Engagement (PA/OPE) for all official appearances before the general
public and must keep the office up to date on status.
b. Bureaus must keep the Office of Public Engagement
informed of the names of officers who are qualified to participate in public
appearances.
c. Bureaus should work closely with the Bureau of
Public Affairs to identify issues that should be receiving special attention
for overall planning purposes.
10 FAM 135 DISSEMINATION OF PUBLIC
REMARKS
(CT:PEC-25; 08-30-2013)
a. Major speeches, testimony, and other remarks are
reviewed for inclusion in Dispatch by the Office of Website Management
(PA/WM). See 10
FAM 142.
b. Bureaus/offices must obtain prior approval for
electronic or organized hard-copy public dissemination from PA/WM following
procedures in 10
FAM 142.
10 FAM 136 UNOFFICIAL SPEAKING,
WRITING, AND TEACHING
(CT:PEC-35; 08-21-2017)
Employees should submit requests for review of unofficial
speaking, writing, and teaching (as defined above) to the Office of Website
Management (PA/WM). Department of State employees cannot make public or
provide in a way that could allow access to the public any such material until
it is cleared by the appropriate Department office(s). In addition,
appropriate authorization must be received before any classified information
may be disclosed. (See 3 FAM 4174.3.)
10 FAM 137 THROUGH 139 UNASSIGNED