Diplomatic Reserve Corps Pilot Program Act of 2026

Pilot for retired diplomats and surge staff

This bill would create a Diplomatic Reserve Corps Pilot Program at the State Department within nine months. The Secretary would have to send an initial plan to congressional foreign affairs committees within six months. The program would recruit at least 250 members in the first year and could add up to 250 more members each year for three more fiscal years. No more than 30% of members appointed under the retired‑Foreign‑Service authority would be at ranks like Foreign Service classes 1 and 2; the rest would be at ranks like classes 3 and 4. Members would get orientation, security, medical, and readiness training and would have annual readiness evaluations. The Secretary would be able to activate members for temporary diplomatic, evacuation, disaster response, or consular surge missions. The Secretary would send a final evaluation report to the same congressional committees three years after the pilot starts. The pilot would end three years after enactment unless Congress reauthorizes it.