[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 12, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S190-S191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. Hagerty):
  S. 3492. A bill to address the importance of foreign affairs training 
in national security, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce an act, co-
sponsored

[[Page S191]]

by Senator Hagerty, that addresses the importance of foreign affairs 
training to national security and, more specifically, intends to 
improve training and professional development of the Foreign Service 
officers and civil service staff at the U.S. State Department.
  This act calls for the State Department to move beyond its 
traditional approach towards a more robust professional training 
program, incorporating innovative education and training courses, 
methods, and opportunities. Employees of the State Department have a 
long, honorable tradition of providing excellence in diplomacy, but it 
is time to modernize the training and professional development they 
receive, enabling them to more effectively promote our national 
security interests abroad and ensuring the retention of our best and 
brightest employees.
  The legislation will accomplish the following: provide a more 
effective and updated training program for employees of the State 
Department, to include increased virtual instruction that is 
interactive and more accessible to personnel deployed around the world, 
as well as increased training provided by partner organizations such as 
universities, industry entities, and nongovernmental organization, 
NGOs: establish a Chief Learning Officer position to serve as the 
principal adviser to the Secretary of State and strategist for State 
Department training and development; and establish a nonpartisan Board 
of Visitors to provide independent advice and recommendations regarding 
training at the Foreign Service Institute.
  Other key elements of the legislation include establishment of a 
clear link between required employee training and promotional 
opportunities and assignments at the State Department; a ``training 
float'' strategy that will allow 10 to 15 percent of Foreign Service 
and civil service officers and staff to participate in training at any 
given time; a call for the State Department to establish new fellowship 
programs for Foreign Service and civil service officers and staff in 
addition to the current Pearson and Brookings Fellowship Programs, 
allowing them to participate in short- and long-term opportunities at 
think tanks, nongovernmental organizations, the Department of Defense, 
industry entities, and relevant university programs; and establishment 
of a Center for Innovation in Training and a Provost position at the 
Foreign Service Institute, to evaluate all courses and curriculum 
offered by FSI and identify necessary updates to meet the frequent 
changes required by officers due to changing global dynamics.
  The Department of State is a crucial national security agency, whose 
employees, both Foreign Service and civil service, require the best 
possible training at every stage of their careers to prepare them to 
promote and defend U.S. national interests and the health and safety of 
U.S. citizens abroad.
  As chair of the Subcommittee on U.S. State Department and USAID 
Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International 
Development, along with Ranking Member Senator Hagerty, I have presided 
over the first two in a planned series of subcommittee hearings on 
modernization of the State Department. The most recent hearing, held in 
November of last year, made clear that the numerous studies issued 
about the State Department's need to change its culture, starting with 
an innovative training and professional development program, were on 
the mark.
  During the hearing, we heard that ``everything is fine'' at State in 
terms of training, while the Department's retention rate indicates the 
loss of experienced Foreign Service officers and civil servants. 
External witnesses Ambassador David Miller, president of the Diplomatic 
Studies Foundation, and Joshua Marcuse, who formerly served as the 
Executive Director of the Defense Innovation Board, painted a very 
different picture, calling for an overarching effort to change the 
culture of the State Department--which as one of the oldest Federal 
Departments is steeped in tradition and protocol--to transform it once 
again into the lead Agency executing American foreign policy overseas.
  The level of challenges the State Department faces now around the 
world are almost unprecedented, with the return of great power 
competition, the rise of authoritarianism, the collapse of Afghanistan, 
climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and--not least--assisting 
American citizens around the world. Professional education and training 
must be top priorities at the State Department, and we must strengthen 
the professionalization of our diplomats through a career-long program 
that focuses on mastery of substantive foreign policy issues, 
diplomatic expertise, superb customer service for American citizens 
abroad, and leadership.
  Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave a speech last fall on 
``Modernizing American Diplomacy,'' and one of the five pillars he 
described is that of building and retaining a diverse, dynamic, and 
entrepreneurial workforce, and empowering and equipping State 
Department employees to succeed. This bill will kick-start the 
rebuilding effort Mr. Blinken spoke about, putting the emphasis on 
training and professional development of the Department's greatest 
asset: its people.
  I remain committed to continuing to work with the Biden 
administration and my colleagues in Congress to provide every 
opportunity for State Department employees to receive the best possible 
training at every stage of their careers, to prepare them to promote 
and defend U.S. national interests and the health and safety of U.S. 
citizens abroad.
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