Helping U.S. Citizens Abroad During a Crisis: Role of the Department of State

Helping U.S. Citizens Abroad During a Crisis: Role of the Department of State

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January 20, 2016
Helping U.S. Citizens Abroad During a Crisis: Role of the
Department of State
Overview
The system provides country-specific and post-specific
The November 13, 2015, Paris terrorist attacks prompted
email lists that registrants can join to receive updates. The
the Department of State (DOS) to review its warning
site allows both short- and long-term travelers abroad to
systems for Americans overseas for any possible
provide their itinerary, residence, and emergency contact
improvements, a senior Diplomatic Security official
information. Organizations such as travel agencies or firms
testified on December 8. Such systems are used to
with employees overseas may also enter information on
communicate threat information when Americans find
their clients or staff.
themselves confronted by a crisis in a foreign country, such
as a natural disaster, heightened terrorist threat, or the
Figure 1. Active Country-Specific Travel Warnings
outbreak of war.
and Alerts as of November 14, 2015
The Department of State is required by law to provide a
range of threat-related services to Americans abroad. In all
but the most extreme situations, the department will serve
primarily in an information-distribution role. However,
when the departure of U.S. citizens is advised, additional
assistance may be provided.
Providing Threat and Crisis Information
Travel Information and the STEP Program
The Department of State is required by law to serve as a
clearinghouse of information on any major disaster or
incident abroad which affects the health and safety of U.S.

citizens abroad (22 U.S.C. 2715). The department carries
Source: Graphic created by CRS using Department of State (2015)
out this function through the Consular Information
and Esri (2014).
Program, which provides a range of products, including
Country Specific Information; Travel Alerts; Travel
Should telephone or Internet services be interrupted during
Warnings; Worldwide Cautions; Messages for U.S.
a crisis, DOS also uses local television and radio to
Citizens, Security Messages for U.S. Citizens, and
broadcast emergency information and may also use a
Emergency Messages for U.S. Citizens; and Fact Sheets.
system of predesignated U.S. citizen “wardens” to pass on
These messages are posted on the travel.state.gov website;
information to other U.S. citizens through means such as
48 travel warnings or alerts were listed on the DOS website
text messaging. The wardens are individuals connected to
as of November 14, 2015 (see Figure 1; the number of
communities of Americans, such as hotel representatives or
alerts can change frequently). DOS also maintains active
business contacts, who agree to serve in a liaison role.
social media accounts, which may serve as communication
channels in an emergency.
When crises overwhelm embassy and consulate
switchboards, DOS also uses creates crisis-specific web-
based databases that accept identifying information about
“No Double Standards” Policy
U.S. citizens that may be used to locate the individual and

offer emergency consular assistance; special email
In its crisis communications, DOS applies a “no double
addresses established for public inquiries during a crisis;
standard” policy: any threat information shared with
and/or a central phone number for the Bureau of Consular
U.S. officials and their families must also generally be
Affairs’ Overseas Citizen Services staff.
made available to other Americans.
Advising the Private Sector Through OSAC
The department encourages—but does not require—U.S.
The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) is a key
citizens traveling abroad to enroll in the Smart Traveler
channel of communication between DOS and U.S. private
Enrollment Program (STEP) in order to facilitate
sector entities abroad. Created in 1985 as a public-private
communication in an evacuation or other emergency,
partnership, OSAC provides liaison and interchange of
addressing the requirements of another law, 22 U.S.C.
information concerning developments in the overseas
4802. STEP is an Internet site through which U.S. citizens
security environment. The OSAC “Council” comprises 34
residing or traveling abroad can enroll themselves online
private and public sector member organizations that
(DOS does not collect information on non-U.S. citizens).
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Helping U.S. Citizens Abroad During a Crisis: Role of the Department of State
represent specific industries or agencies operating abroad.
Involvement of the U.S. military in any evacuation of U.S.
Through OSAC, the DOS Bureau of Diplomatic Security
citizens is a last resort, as most evacuations are able to rely
(DS) populates a website with unclassified information on
on commercial means and local infrastructure. When those
security related incidents and threats overseas, including
elements are not available, DOS and Defense Department
“OSAC Analysis” reports on major security incidents
coordination is addressed through a standing Memorandum
around the world and security-specific coverage of major
of Agreement that addresses the roles and responsibilities of
events such as the Olympics, G8 meetings, and the World
each agency. A notable example is the July 2006 evacuation
Economic Forum. DS also maintains a dedicated Research
of nearly 15,000 American citizens from war-torn Lebanon.
and Information Support Center staffed with personnel
dedicated solely to the needs of the U.S. private sector.
Finally, DS supports 143 OSAC Country Councils
Key Resources for U.S. Citizen Travelers:
overseas, where private sector personnel meet with the

embassy or consulate staff to share information about
Bureau of Consular Affairs: www.travel.state.gov (for
security issues of mutual concern in the region and pool
warnings, alerts); also 1-888-407-4747 (or +1-202-
resources in response.
501-4444 from overseas).
Evacuation of U.S. Citizens

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) -
step.state.gov/step/ (Department of State database
Direct Assistance Is the Exception, Not the Rule
intended to facilitate communication in an evacuation
The Secretary of State is also required to provide for the
or other emergency)
safe and efficient evacuation of private U.S. citizens when

their lives may be endangered, per 22 U.S.C. 4802. In
Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC):
practice, even when the department advises U.S. citizens to
www.osac.gov (security information for U.S. private
leave a country, DOS will advise citizens to evacuate using
sector entities abroad)
existing commercial transportation options whenever

possible. For instance, a September 21 Travel Warning
recommended that “U.S. citizens currently in Burkina Faso
depart as soon as it is feasible to do so”
Questions for Congress
and advised that
“U.S. citizens are responsible for making their own travel
Some observers have scrutinized areas in which the State
Department’s broad threat messages
arrangements.”
provided during times
of crisis might be improved. For example, on November 23,
In more rare circumstances, when the local transportation
DOS issued a Worldwide Travel Alert, warning citizens of
infrastructure is compromised, DOS can arrange chartered
the risks of travel due to an elevated threat of terrorism. The
or non-commercial transportation for U.S. citizens to
message was derided by some observers as being vague and
evacuate to a nearby safe location determined by the
containing little new information, as the content largely
department. For example, on May 15, U.S. Embassy
overlapped with a July Worldwide Caution. The repetition
Bujumbura informed U.S. citizens that it had chartered
and lack of specificity of such messages, some have
flights to evacuate nationals from Burundi. Given the
suggested, might cause target audiences to pay less
challenges associated with in-country transportation during
attention to future warnings.
crises, the department typically requires citizens to make
their own way to the departure point. On arrival in a safe
The State Department, in extreme situations, provides
location, evacuees are then typically required to make their
assistance to U.S. citizens evacuating a location in crisis.
own onward travel arrangements.
However, questions have been raised regarding the
reliability of DOS estimates of potential U.S. citizen
The cost of any State Department-provided evacuation
evacuees in each country, an annual process that produces
assistance to U.S. citizens is, by law, required to be
what is known as an “F-77” report. A number of factors
provided “on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent
make accurate accounting challenging (no requirement for
practicable” (22 U.S.C. 2671(b) (2) (A)). This means that
registration in the STEP program, dual nationality, etc.).
evacuation costs are generally the responsibility of the U.S.
Some have suggested that the potential inaccuracy of such
citizen evacuated, who is asked to commit in writing to
estimates could hamper evacuation planning.
repayment of the U.S. government (although emergency
financial assistance may be available for destitute
Finally, some have questioned whether DOS evacuation
evacuees). The department typically charges the equivalent
practices and resources are adequate for the current threat
of a full coach commercial fare on a comparable mode of
environment. Observers have noted that in some instances,
transportation at the time that commercial travel ceases to
such as in April 2015 in Yemen, the United States advised
be a viable option (in the previously mentioned Burundi
citizens to depart using commercial means, while other
case, the announced cost per passenger was approximately
countries arranged for the evacuation of their nationals. A
$620). To the extent appropriated funding is employed to
review of lessons learned in such situations may be useful
support evacuation activities, such funds are drawn from
in informing related policies.
the Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service
account.
Alex Tiersky, Specialist in Foreign Affairs
IF10346
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Helping U.S. Citizens Abroad During a Crisis: Role of the Department of State

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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10346 · VERSION 2 · NEW