Bill Summary
This legislation, known as the "Diplomatic Personnel Modernization Act," requires the Secretary of State to create a five-year staffing plan for the Department of State within 18 months of the Act's enactment. The plan must include a comprehensive dataset of all current and planned employees, broken down by job rank and type. The Secretary must also make recommendations for the number of Foreign Service officers to be stationed at each foreign mission, and determine the overall number of civil service and Foreign Service officers needed. The dataset must be regularly updated and the Secretary may use a private sector entity to assist in completing the plan with appropriate notification to congressional committees. The "appropriate congressional committees" refer to specific committees in the Senate and House of Representatives related to foreign relations and appropriations.
Possible Impacts
1. The bill could potentially lead to an increase in job opportunities within the Department of State, affecting both current and future employees.
2. The dataset required under subsection (b)(1) may reveal disparities in workforce representation, leading to potential policy changes aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion within the Department of State.
3. The implementation of the five-year staffing plan could result in changes to the distribution of Foreign Service officers at different foreign missions, potentially impacting the diplomatic relations and operations of those missions.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2024 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2024
To require a five-year staffing plan for the Department of State, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 2, 2019
Mr. Reschenthaler introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a five-year staffing plan for the Department of State, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Diplomatic Personnel Modernization
Act''.
SEC. 2. FIVE-YEAR STAFFING PLAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a comprehensive five-year
strategic staffing plan for the Department of State.
(b) Components.--The staffing plan required under subsection (a)
shall include the following:
(1) A dataset displaying comprehensive workforce data for
all current and planned employees of the Department of State,
disaggregated by the following:
(A) Foreign Service officer and Foreign Service
specialist rank.
(B) Civil service job skill code, grade level, and
bureau of assignment.
(C) Contracted employees, including the equivalent
job skill code and bureau of assignment.
(D) Employees hired under schedule C of subpart C
of part 213 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations,
including the equivalent grade and job skill code and
bureau of assignment of such employee.
(2) Recommendations on the number of Foreign Service
officers, disaggregated by service cone that should be posted
at each foreign mission of the United States.
(3) A Department of State end-strength number for both
civil service and Foreign Service officers.
(c) Updates.--The dataset required under subsection (b)(1) shall be
maintained and updated on a regular basis.
(d) Contracting Authority.--The Secretary of State may contract
with a private sector entity to assist in completing the staffing plan
required under subsection (a) if, not later than 15 days before
entering into such a contract, the Secretary notifies the appropriate
congressional committees of the intent to enter into such a contract.
(e) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
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