Protecting America’s Diplomatic Workforce Act
Sponsored By: Senator Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would impose a strict cap on reductions in force for diplomatic staff and boost transparency and protections around those cuts. It would also align Foreign Service layoff rules more closely with civil service safeguards and require advance briefings on personnel and manual changes.
Show full summary
- For diplomatic employees: Agencies would be limited to separating no more than 50 employees in any six‑month period and must notify and brief the relevant congressional committees at least 20 days before any larger reduction. This creates a clear limit and a pre‑approval oversight step.
- For Foreign Service personnel: RIF decisions would use a worldwide competitive area and rely primarily on prior selection board performance. Employees would get longer notice before separation, typically 120 days with a 60‑day minimum, plus grievance and transfer protections similar to civil service.
- For agencies and congressional oversight: Agencies would have to assess mission and diplomatic presence impacts and explain how cuts affect U.S. engagement and competition with adversaries. Changes to the Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual would require 30 days written notice and committee briefings.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Limits on diplomatic agency layoffs
If enacted, a covered agency could not separate more than 50 employees by reductions in force in any 6-month period unless it tells Congress first. The agency would have to send the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee a detailed explanation at least 20 days before giving notices. That explanation must list steps to avoid layoffs, the justification, mission and diplomatic impact assessments, and civil-service compliance details when relevant. For RIFs under 5 U.S.C. 3502 at covered agencies, the bill would set the written notice period at 60 days. "Covered agencies" would include State, USAID, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the Peace Corps, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and the U.S. Agency for Global Media and its networks.
New Foreign Service RIF rules
If enacted, the Foreign Service Act would explicitly allow RIF separations of career and career-candidate Foreign Service members for reasons like reorganization or lack of funds. You would normally get 120 days' advance notice before separation, and never less than 60 days. Retention would be decided worldwide among same-rank peers and would rely mainly on prior selection board rankings, with tenure, language skills, and military preference also considered. The Foreign Service Grievances Board would get the same authority as the Merit Systems Protection Board to decide RIF appeals. Foreign Service staff affected by a transfer of function would get the same transfer protections now available to career civil service employees.
More oversight of Foreign Affairs Manual
If enacted, the bill would change the Department of State's manual rules. The qualifying period in the cited subsection would increase from 5 years to 8 years. The Secretary of State would have to give the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee at least 30 days' written notice and a briefing before any Foreign Affairs Manual changes take effect.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 6/28/2025
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 6/28/2025
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/28/2025
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/28/2025
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/28/2025
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 6/28/2025
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/28/2025
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/28/2025
Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 6/28/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov