The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs provides policy direction in the areas of international security, military coordination and peace operations, and arms trade.  Its responsibilities include regional security policy, security assistance, arms transfers (both government-to-government and commercial), humanitarian demining programs, critical infrastructure protection, burdensharing, complex contingency operations and contingency planning.  The Bureau is headed by Assistant Secretary of State Eric D. Newsom, and supports the Secretary and the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs. 

The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs furthers U.S. national security objectives by:  managing bilateral political-military relations and conducting formal security dialogues with over 30 countries; maintaining global access for U.S. military forces; controlling access to militarily significant technologies and promoting responsible U.S. defense trade by administering defense trade controls; leading the interagency strategic planning and policy development processes supporting U.S. global mine action activities; serving as the focal point of the Executive Branch liaison with Congress on defense burdensharing matters; leading the interagency effort to promote political-military and defense cooperation on critical infrastructure protection issues; and working closely with DOD and the Joint Staff, the regional bureaus, and the NSC for departmental coordination in crisis management, complex contingency operations, and military options and deployment matters.

Office of Congressional & Public Affairs
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20520