---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 4155"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "4155"
heading: "Conversion of certain positions in Department of Agriculture"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/4155"
units:
  - "Chapter 52 — Foreign Service"
  - "Subchapter XII — Transition"
---

# §4155. Conversion of certain positions in Department of Agriculture

- (a) **Designation and classification of positions to be occupied; notice—** Not later than 15 days after February 15, 1981, the [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) of Agriculture shall—
  - (1) designate and classify under [section 3981 of this title](/usc/22/3981.md) those positions in the Foreign Agricultural Service under the General Schedule described in [section 5332 of title 5](/usc/5/5332.md) which the [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) of Agriculture determines are to be occupied by career members of the Foreign Service, and
  - (2) provide written notice to individuals holding those positions of such designation and classification of the personnel category under [section 3903 of this title](/usc/22/3903.md) which will apply to such individual.
- (b) **Election to convert—** Each [employee](/usc/22/4102.md?p=8) serving in a position at the time it is designated under [subsection (a)](#a) shall, not later than 120 days after notice of such designation, elect—
  - (1) to accept conversion to the Foreign Service, in which case such [employee](/usc/22/4102.md?p=8) shall be converted in accordance with the provisions of [subsection (c)](#c); or
  - (2) to decline conversion to the Foreign Service and have the provisions of [subsection (d)](#d) apply.
- (c) **Recommendations for appointment—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) of Agriculture shall recommend to the President for appointment to the appropriate class (as determined under [paragraph (2)](#c-2)), by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, those [employees](/usc/22/4102.md?p=8) who elect conversion under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1).
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) of Agriculture shall appoint as Foreign Service personnel those [employees](/usc/22/4102.md?p=8) who elect to accept conversion and who are not eligible for appointment under [paragraph (1)](#c-1).
- (d) **Results of declining to convert—** Any [employee](/usc/22/4102.md?p=8) who declines conversion under [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2) shall for so long as that [employee](/usc/22/4102.md?p=8) continues to hold the designated position be deemed to be a member of the Foreign Service for purposes of allowances, differentials, and similar benefits (as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) of Agriculture).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–465, title II, § 2105, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2150.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

In subsec. (a), “February 15, 1981” substituted for “the effective date of this Act” pursuant to section 2403 of Pub. L. 96–465, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3901 of this title.