22 U.S.C. § 1741a : FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE — PROTECTION OF CITIZENS ABROAD — HOSTAGE RECOVERY AND HOSTAGE-TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY — Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs

(a) Establishment

There shall be a Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall report to the Secretary of State.

(b) Rank

The Special Envoy shall have the rank and status of ambassador.

(c) Responsibilities

The Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs shall-

(1) lead diplomatic engagement on United States hostage policy;

(2) coordinate all diplomatic engagements and strategy in support of hostage recovery efforts, in coordination with the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and consistent with policy guidance communicated through the Hostage Response Group;

(3) in coordination with the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell as appropriate, coordinate diplomatic engagements regarding cases in which a foreign government has detained a United States national and the United States Government regards such detention as unlawful or wrongful;

(4) provide senior representation from the Special Envoy's office to the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell established under section 1741b of this title and the Hostage Response Group established under section 1741c of this title; and

(5) ensure that families of United States nationals unlawfully or wrongly detained abroad receive updated information about developments in cases and government policy.

22 U.S.C. § 1741a

Pub. L. 116-260 div. FF, title III, §303, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3093.