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By: FEDweek StaffA Congressional Research Service report has identified management and personnel issues that drawn the attention of Capitol Hill, including:
Passport Services—While the department has restored passport application processing times to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels in December 2023, “Congress continues to conduct oversight of the provision of passport services . . . including authorities for the Secretary of State to appoint or designate additional passport personnel and a requirement obligating DOS to regularly update Congress on its efforts to meet demand for urgent passport services. Congress may consider additional legislation related to passport services and/or provide resources” to enable the department to meet continued high passport demand, it says.
Modernization—”Congress is conducting oversight of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s “Modernization Agenda,” which seeks to better position DOS to address what Secretary Blinken describes as emerging foreign policy challenges, such as climate change and global health security,” it says. That includes authorizing a 16-member commission, with up to four of the members being from Congress, tasked with “examining “the changing nature of diplomacy” and offering recommendations for modernizing DOS’s structure and operational practices.”
DEIA—”The 2022 and 2023 State Department authorization laws sought to enhance DOS’s DEIA programming through, among other methods, improving the quality and availability of the data DOS collects to illustrate its workforce demographics and, separately, streamlining reporting processes regarding allegations of discrimination and harassment,” it says, noting that bills are pending in Congress both authorize the position of Office of the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer in law or to abolish it.
Diplomatic Security—”Congress included several diplomatic security and embassy construction-related measures in the 2022 State Department authorization law intended to enable the department to weigh security risks with the priority of allowing American diplomats to engage with foreign stakeholders. As DOS implements these provisions, Members may seek to ensure that DOS’s risk calculus is aligned with congressional intent through overseeing its efforts to incentivize and train U.S. diplomats to properly manage risk, locate new posts in areas that provide diplomats requisite security and access to foreign officials and other key stakeholders, and control costs associated with the construction of new, secure posts,” it says.
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