Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “State Department Training Modernization Act”.
State Department Training Modernization Act
A BILL
To address the importance of foreign affairs training to national security, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
the Department of State is a crucial national security agency, whose employees, both Foreign Service and Civil Service, require the best possible training and professional development at every stage of their careers to prepare them to promote and defend United States national interests and the health and safety of United States citizens abroad;
the Department faces increasingly complex and rapidly evolving challenges, many of which are science and technology-driven, and which demand continual, high-quality training and professional development of its personnel;
the new and evolving challenges of national security in the 21st century necessitates the expansion of standardized training and professional development opportunities linked to equitable, accountable, and transparent promotion and leadership practices for Department of State and other national security agency personnel; and
consistent with gift acceptance authority of the Department and other applicable laws in effect as of the date of the enactment of this Act, the Department and the Foreign Service Institute may accept funds and other resources from foundations, not-for-profit corporations, and other appropriate sources to help the Department and the Institute enhance the quantity and quality of training and professional development offerings, especially in the introduction of new, innovative, and pilot model courses.
Sec. 3 Appropriate congressional committees defined
Sec. 4 Training and professional development prioritization
In order to provide the Civil Service of the Department of State and the Foreign Service with the level of professional development and training needed to effectively advance United States interests across the world, the Secretary of State shall—
increase relevant offerings provided by the Department—
of interactive virtual instruction to make training and professional development more accessible and useful to personnel deployed throughout the world; or
at partner organizations, including universities, industry entities, and nongovernmental organizations, throughout the United States to provide useful outside perspectives to Department personnel to provide such personnel—
a more comprehensive outlook on different sectors of United States society; and
practical experience dealing with commercial corporations, universities, labor unions, and other institutions critical to United States diplomatic success;
offer courses using computer-based or computer-assisted simulations, allowing civilian officers to lead decision-making in a crisis environment, and encourage officers of the Department of State and reciprocally officers of other Departments to participate in similar exercises held by the Department of State or other government organizations and the private sector; and
increase the duration and expand the focus of certain training and professional development courses, including by—
extending the A–100 entry-level course to not less than 12 weeks, better matching the length of entry-level training and professional development provided to the officers in other national security departments and agencies; and
extending the chief of mission course to not less than 6 weeks for first time chiefs of mission and creating a comparable 6-week course for new Assistant Secretaries and Deputy Assistant Secretaries to more accurately reflect the significant responsibilities accompanying such roles.
Sec. 5 Fellowships
The Director General of the Foreign Service shall—
establish new fellowship programs for Foreign Service and Civil Service officers that include short- and long-term opportunities at organizations, including—
think tanks and nongovernmental organizations;
the Department of Defense, the elements of the intelligence community (as defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)), and other relevant Federal agencies;
industry entities, especially such entities related to technology, global operations, finance, and other fields directly relevant to international affairs; and
schools of international relations and other relevant programs at universities throughout the United States; and
not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, provide Congress with a report on how the Department could expand the Pearson Fellows Program for Foreign Service Officers and the Brookings Fellow Program for Civil Servants at the Department of State to allow fellows in those programs the opportunity to undertake a follow-on assignment within the Department in an office that will benefit from practical knowledge of the people and processes of Congress, including offices other than the Legislative Affairs Bureau (H), including—
an assessment of the current state of congressional fellowships, including the demand for fellowships and the value the fellowships provide to both the career of the officer and to the Department; and
an assessment of the options for making congressional fellowships for both the Foreign and Civil Services more career-enhancing.
Sec. 6 Board of Visitors of the Foreign Service Institute
Establishment— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall establish a Board of Visitors of the Foreign Service Institute.
Duties— The Board of Visitors established under subsection (a) shall provide the Secretary of State with independent advice and recommendations on organizational management, strategic planning, resource management, curriculum development, and other matters of interest to the Foreign Service Institute, including regular observations about how well the Department is integrating training and professional development into the work of the bureau for Global Talent Management (GTM).
Membership—
In general— The Board shall be—
nonpartisan; and
composed of 12 members of whom—
2 shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
2 shall be appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
2 shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives;
2 shall be appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
4 shall be appointed by the Secretary of State.
Qualifications— Members of the Board shall be appointed from among individuals who are not officers or employees of the Federal Government, who have never been members of the Senior Foreign Service or the Senior Executive Service, and are eminent authorities in the fields of diplomacy, management, leadership, economics, trade, technology, and advanced international relations education.
Outside expertise— Not fewer than 6 members of the Board shall have a minimum of 10 years of expertise outside the field of diplomacy.
Terms— A member of the Board shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, except that of the members first appointed—
4 shall be appointed for a term of 3 years;
4 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years; and
4 shall be appointed for a term of 1 year.
Reappointment; replacement— A member of the Board may be reappointed or replaced at the discretion of the official who made the original appointment.
Chairperson; Co-Chairperson—
Approval— The Chairperson and Co-Chairperson of the Board shall be approved by the Secretary of State based upon a recommendation from the members of the Board.
Service— The Chairperson and Co-Chairperson shall serve at the discretion of the Secretary.
Meetings— The Board shall meet—
at the call of the Director of the Foreign Service Institute and the Chairperson; and
not fewer than 2 times per year.
Compensation— A member of the Board shall serve without compensation, except a member of the Board shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Board. Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Secretary of State may accept the voluntary and uncompensated services of members of the Board.
Applicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act— The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall apply to the Board established under this section.
Sec. 7 Establishment of Provost of the Foreign Service Institute
Establishment— There is established in the Foreign Service Institute the position of Provost.
Appointment; reporting— The Provost shall—
be appointed by the Board of Visitors of the Foreign Service Institute of the Department of State established under section 6; and
report to the Director of the Foreign Service Institute.
Qualifications— The Provost—
may not be an individual who is an officer or employee of the Federal Government or who has ever been a career member of the Senior Foreign Service or the Senior Executive Service; and
shall be an eminent authority in the fields of diplomacy, education, management, leadership, economics, history, trade, or technology.
Duties— The Provost shall—
oversee, review, evaluate, and coordinate the academic curriculum for all courses taught and administered by the Foreign Service Institute;
coordinate the implementation of a letter or numerical grading system for the performance of Foreign Service officers in courses of the Foreign Service Institute; and
report not less frequently than quarterly to the Board of Visitors on curriculum developments and the performance of Foreign Service officers.
Term— The Provost shall serve for a term of not fewer than 5 years and may be reappointed for 1 additional term.
Compensation— The Provost shall receive a salary commensurate with the rank and experience of a member of the Senior Foreign Service or the Senior Executive Service, as determined by the Board of Visitors.
Sec. 8 Other agency responsibilities and opportunities for congressional staff
Other agencies— National security agencies other than the Department of State should be afforded the ability to increase the enrollment of their personnel in courses at the Foreign Service Institute and other training and professional development facilities of the Department to promote a whole-of-government approach to mitigating national security challenges.
Congressional staff— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall provide the appropriate congressional committees with a report on offering training and professional development opportunities at the Foreign Service Institute and other such Department of State facilities for congressional staff, to include budget impacts and potential course offerings.
Sec. 9 Strategy for adapting training requirements for modern diplomatic needs
In general— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall develop and submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy for how to adapt and evolve training requirements to better meet the Department’s current and future needs for 21st century diplomacy.
Elements— The strategy required under subsection (a) shall include the following elements:
Integrating training requirements into the Department of State’s promotion policies, including establishing educational and professional development standards for training and attainment to be used as a part of tenure and promotion guidelines.
Addressing multiple existing and emerging national security challenges, including—
democratic backsliding and authoritarianism;
countering, and assisting United States allies to address, state-sponsored disinformation, including through the Global Engagement Center;
cyber threats;
aggression and malign influence;
the implications of climate change for United States diplomacy; and
nuclear threats.
Establishing residential training for the A–100 orientation course administered by the Foreign Service Institute, and evaluating the feasibility of residential training for long-term training opportunities.
Utilization of existing resources— In establishing the residential training program pursuant to subsection (a)(3), the Secretary of State shall work with other national security departments and agencies that employ residential training for their orientation course and consider using the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center in Blackstone, Virginia, a facility of the Department of State.
Sec. 10 Report and briefing requirements
Report— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes—
a strategy for broadening and deepening professional development and training at the Department, including assessing current and future needs for 21st century diplomacy;
the process used and resources needed to implement the strategy throughout the Department; and
the results and impact of the strategy on the workforce of the Department, particularly the relationship between professional development and training and promotions for Department personnel, and including the measurement and evaluation methods used.
Briefing— Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Secretary of State submits the report required by subsection (a), and annually thereafter for 2 years, the Secretary shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on the information required to be included in the report.
Sec. 11 Foreign language maintenance incentive program
Authorization— The Secretary of State is authorized to establish and implement an incentive program to encourage members of the Foreign Service who possess language proficiency in any of the languages that qualify for bonus points, as determined by the Secretary, to maintain critical foreign language skills.
Report— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes a detailed plan for implementing the program authorized under subsection (a), including anticipated resource requirements.
Sec. 12 Department of State workforce management
Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that informed, data-driven, and long-term workforce management, including with respect to the Foreign Service, Civil Service, locally employed staff, and contractors, is needed to align diplomatic priorities with the appropriate personnel and resources.
Annual workforce report—
In general— In order to understand the Department of State’s long-term trends with respect to its workforce, the Secretary of State shall, with input from relevant bureaus and offices, including the Bureau of Global Talent Management, the Bureau of Consular Affairs, and the Center for Analytics, submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that details the Department of State’s workforce, disaggregated by Foreign Service, Civil Service, locally employed staff, and contractors—
the number of personnel who were hired;
the number of personnel whose employment or contract was terminated or voluntarily left the Department;
the number of personnel who were promoted, including the grade to which they were promoted;
the demographic breakdown of personnel; and
the distribution of the Department of State’s workforce based on domestic and overseas assignments, including a breakdown of the number of personnel in geographic and functional bureaus, and the number of personnel in overseas missions by region.
Initial report— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit the report described in paragraph (1) for each fiscal year from fiscal years 2002 through 2022.
Recurring report— Not later than December 31, 2023, and annually thereafter for 9 years, the Secretary of State shall submit the report described in paragraph (1) for the prior fiscal year.
Use of report data— The data in the reports required under this subsection shall be used by Congress, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to inform recommendations on the appropriate size and composition of the Department of State.
Sec. 13 Sense of Congress on the importance of filling the position of Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
It is the sense of Congress that since a vacancy in the position of Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs is detrimental to the national security interests of the United States, the President should expeditiously nominate a qualified individual to such position whenever such vacancy occurs to ensure that the bureaus reporting to such position are able to fulfill their mission of—
expanding and strengthening relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other countries; and
engaging, informing, and understanding the perspectives of foreign audiences.
Sec. 14 Report on public diplomacy
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes—
an evaluation of the May 2019 merger of the Bureau of Public Affairs and the Bureau of International Information Programs into the Bureau of Global Public Affairs with respect to—
the efficacy of the current bureau configuration of the bureaus reporting to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in achieving the mission of the Department of State;
the metrics before and after such merger, including personnel data, disaggregated by positions and location, content production, opinion polling, program evaluations, and media appearances;
the results of a survey of public diplomacy practitioners to determine their opinion of the efficacy of such merger and any adjustments that still need to be made; and
a plan for evaluating and monitoring, not less frequently than once every 2 years, the programs, activities, messaging, professional development efforts, and structure of the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, and submitting a summary of each such evaluation to the appropriate congressional committees; and
a review of recent outside recommendations for modernizing diplomacy at the Department of State with respect to public diplomacy efforts, including—
efforts in each of the bureaus reporting to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs to address issues of diversity and inclusion in their work, structure, data collection, programming, and personnel, including any collaboration with the Chief Officer for Diversity and Inclusion;
proposals to collaborate with think tanks and academic institutions working on public diplomacy issues to implement recent outside recommendations; and
additional authorizations and appropriations necessary to implement such recommendations.