Representatives Adam Smith (D-WA) and Mac Thornberry (R-TX) have together established a new "Strategic Communication and Public Diplomacy Caucus" and are actively seeking additional members to join, Matt Armstrong at MountainRunner reported. According to the Representatives, the purpose of the Caucus is to "raise awareness of the challenges facing strategic communication and public diplomacy and provide multiple perspectives on proposed solutions." In remarks posted on MountainRunner, Rep. Thornberry says that to "truly defeat terrorism, we must also wage and win the war of ideas" where the "aim is to make sure negative attitudes toward America and its allies do not take the form of violent extremism."

Now is the time to explore and spread creative strategic communication ideas and to revisit existing legislation. To help reinvigorate the discussion, I have introduced H.R. 489, a bill to improve how America directly communicates with people across the world. This bill would establish an independent "Center for Strategic Communication" that would coordinate America's message across our government. It would provide research on attitudes and media trends in foreign countries and build expertise on how we can better communicate around the world.

In a Dear Colleague letter to their fellow Representatives, Smith and Thornberry write of the urgency for new methods of communication: "It is time America finds creative new approaches to deny internet safe havens, communicate directly to the people of the world, and renew the positive reputation of our country abroad."