Rep. Mike Lawler Questions China & Russia's Use of Counterterrorism for Influence

Counterterrorism Coordination and Great Power Competition

• 🎯 Counterterrorism (CT) efforts are coordinated with other agencies and embassies to ensure diplomatic and programming efforts complement US strategies against great power competition, particularly where China, Russia, or Iran might seek influence.
• 🤝 Comprehensive inter-agency coordination is in place, working with the intelligence community, Department of Defense combatant commanders, and within the Department of State with regional and security-related bureaus.
• 🌏 In Asia, the CT bureau is in 100% sync with the Asia bureau and other inter-agency colleagues to synchronize the relationship between terrorist threats, security threats, and partnerships.
• 🗺️ Diplomatic engagements, such as leading representation to the Quad with Australia, Japan, and India, are used to secure strategic objectives in the Indo-Pacific region regarding security and counterterrorism.

Budgetary Sufficiency and Deconfliction

• 💰 The CT bureau receives $1.66 million from the worldwide security protection account in fiscal year 2026, which is believed to be sufficient to support surge operations, special events, and training.
• ⚙️ A reorganization aims to eliminate redundancy and overlap with other functional bureaus addressing counterterrorism-adjacent issues like cybersecurity, proliferation, and irregular warfare.
• 📊 Real-time deconfliction of funding and programming between bureaus is occurring to prevent duplication and yield better results for taxpayers and the administration's priorities.
• ✅ There is no immediate need for new legislative direction, but internal budgetary coordination mechanisms are being refined.