In order to provide for United States participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, there is authorized to be appropriated such amounts as may be necessary from time to time for the payment by the United States of its share of the expenses of the Organization and all necessary salaries and expenses of the United States permanent representative to the Organization, of such persons as may be appointed to represent the United States in the subsidiary bodies of the Organization or in any multilateral organization which participates in achieving the aims of the North Atlantic Treaty, and of their appropriate staffs, and the expenses of participation in meetings of such organizations, including salaries, expenses, and allowances of personnel and dependents as authorized by the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [22 U.S.C. 3901 et seq.], and allowances and expenses as provided in section 287r of this title.

The United States permanent representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall hold office at the pleasure of the President. Such representative shall have the rank and status of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and shall be a chief of mission under the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [22 U.S.C. 3901 et seq.].

Persons detailed to the international staff of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in accordance with section 2388 of this title who are members of the Foreign Service serving under limited appointments may serve for periods of more than five years notwithstanding the limitation in section 309 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [22 U.S.C. 3949].

(Aug. 26, 1954, ch. 937, title IV, § 408, 68 Stat. 845; Pub. L. 85–141, § 8(h), Aug. 14, 1957, 71 Stat. 361; Pub. L. 86–108, ch. II, § 205(h), July 24, 1959, 73 Stat. 250; Pub. L. 96–465, title II, § 2206(a)(6), Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2161.)