Senator Shaheen Introduces Legislation to Support and Strengthen our Diplomatic Corps
SHAHEEN: “America’s diplomatic capabilities must be prioritized as crises around the world continue to emerge”
(Washington, DC)—Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the only woman on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the lead Democrat on the Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, announced the introduction of her legislation to build a stronger U.S. diplomatic corps to advance American interests around the world and work towards the peaceful resolution of foreign policy challenges. Her legislation follows proposals by the Trump administration to slash funding for diplomacy.
“America’s diplomatic capabilities must be prioritized as crises around the world continue to emerge,” said Shaheen. “This legislation would strengthen the State Department and the Foreign Service and make a long-term commitment to invest in our career diplomats. It is in America’s long-term economic and national security interests to have a robust diplomatic corps, which is why I’ll be advocating for this legislation.”
The Enhancing America’s Core Diplomatic Capabilities Act of 2018 would do the following:
- Establish entry-level hiring policies for Foreign Service officers based on long-term needs which will help sustain a consistent talent pool to fulfill foreign policy objectives.
- Establish minimum staffing levels for entry, mid, and senior-level Foreign Service officers.
- Require the Secretary of State to report to Congress on Foreign Service staffing levels and undertake an assessment of training, professional development and professional education for Foreign Service officers.
- Strengthen the role of career Foreign Service officers in certain key institutional leadership positions.
Text of the legislation is available here.
