Foreign Relations Authorization Act

Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1978 - Title I: State Department - Authorizes appropriations to the Department of State for fiscal year 1978 for functions relating to the administration of foreign affairs ($762,005,000), international organizations and conferences ($389,412,000), international commissions ($21,839,000), education exchange ($88,100,000), migration and refugee assistance ($53,054,000), and employee benefits and compensation. Restricts the transfer of funds for such purposes. Authorizes $7,281,583 of funds authorized for international organizations and conferences to be used to pay the United States assessment to the World Health Organization, notwithstanding restrictions on payments to the United Nations and affiliated agencies. Restricts $20,000,000 of the amount appropriated for migration and refugee assistance to assist the resettlement in Israel of refugees from the Soviet Union and Communist countries in Eastern Europe.

Authorizes the Secretary of State to assist United States citizens incarcerated abroad.

Revises limitations on appropriations made to the Secretary of State for acquisition of buildings and grounds, in foreign countries, under the Foreign Service Buildings Act. Repeals the ten-year limitation on leaseholds acquired under such Act for sites and buildings.

Creates an Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights. Abolishes the position of Coordinator for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs and transfers the functions of such position to the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights. Makes the individual serving as Coordinator of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights without requiring reappointment of such individual.

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to rename the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs as the Bureau of Consular Affairs. Establishes an Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs to assume the functions of the administrator of such bureau. Removes the Bureau for jurisdiction of the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Administration. Makes the individual serving as administrator of the bureau the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs without requiring reappointment of such individual.

Establishes a board to advise the Secretary of State with respect to negotiations concerning toll increases on the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the Welland Canal. Requires that such board consist of representatives of groups affected by the increased tolls. Terminates such board on the date such negotiations are completed or September 30, 1978, whichever occurs first.

Directs the President to emphasize the development and use of light capital technologies at the United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development.

Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1969 to authorize appropriations not to exceed $25,000,000 for each fiscal year beginning with FY 1979 for the Inter-American Foundation.

Grants the consent of Congress, upon approval of the Secretary of State and the other concerned Secretary, to (1) any retired member of the uniformed services, (2) any member of a Reserve component of the Armed Forces, and (3) any member of the commissioned Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service, to accept civil employment from a foreign government.

Title II: Foreign Service Personnel System - Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1946 to extend the procedures for computation of compensation for a Foreign Service officer acting as chief of mission to any Reserve officer acting in such capacity.

Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1946 to authorize specified establishments of the Government to administer alien employee programs in accordance with compensation plans for alien employees of the Foreign Service. Permits the heads of Government agencies and other establishments of the Government to compensate any current or former alien employee who is or has been imprisoned by a foreign government upon a determination by the Secretary of State that such imprisonment resulted from the alien's employment by the United States.

Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1946 to repeal the ten-year citizenship requirement for appointment as a Foreign Service officer, or as a Foreign Service Reserve officer.

Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1946 to replace entry procedures for Foreign Service officer candidates with a Career Candidate Program which authorizes the appointment of candidates who have passed the required examinations as Foreign Service Reserve officers for a trial period.

Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1946 to make the retirement procedures for any foreign service officer who has served as chief of mission applicable to the Foreign Service Reserve officer who is a participant in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System.

Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1946 to preserve the Foreign Service personnel, status of Foreign Service Reserve officers appointed to any governmental agency or international body by the President.

Redefines "Foreign Service employee," for purposes of death gratuities for foreign service employees, to include alien employees. Authorizes retirement benefits for certain Foreign Service officers selected-out of the Foreign Service who were not in class one, two, or three at the time of retirement.

Title III: United States Information Agency - Authorizes appropriations to the United States Information Agency for fiscal year 1978 to carry out international informational activities under the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, and Reorganization Plan Numbered 8 of 1953 for (1) salaries and expenses ($269,286,000), (2) special international exhibitions ($4,360,000), (3) acquisition and construction of radio facilities ($19,872,000), and (4) increases in employee compensation and benefits (such amounts as may be necessary). Restricts the transfer of such funds.

Requires the Director of the United States Information Agency to submit to the Secretary of State plans for replacement of the Agency's facilities in Soweto, South Africa. Permits the Director to make available to the Administrator of General Services, for deposit in the National Archives, a master copy of the film "Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden" and any films for the "Young Filmmakers Bicentennial Film Series" of the Agency.

Title IV: Board for International Broadcasting - Amends the Board for International Broadcasting Act of 1973 to authorize appropriations of $68,980,000 for fiscal year 1978 for grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and for other purposes.