[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 123 (Thursday, July 17, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4485-S4486]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2949. Mr. SCHATZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle D of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1248. REPORT ON PACIFIC ISLANDS EMBASSY STAFFING.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the 
     Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources 
     shall--
       (1) submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
     of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, 
     the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives that describes plans for addressing 
     staffing needs at United States embassies in Pacific Island 
     countries; and

[[Page S4486]]

       (2) provide a briefing to the congressional committees 
     listed in paragraph (1), which shall include--
       (A) a discussion of the contents of the report submitted 
     pursuant to paragraph (1); and
       (B) nonfinancial incentives for Foreign Service officers 
     serving at United States embassies in Pacific Island 
     countries, including opportunities such as Mission-specific 
     training.
       (b) Contents.--The report required under subsection (a) 
     shall include--
       (1) steps to implement the findings of the Foreign Service 
     officer allowances study required under section 5302 of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-
     81) to provide incentives for Foreign Service officers to 
     serve in Pacific Island countries, including--
       (A) hardship and danger pay;
       (B) the opportunity to provide one-grade stretches before 
     stretch season and allow bidding on Pacific Island country 
     posts on the early assignment cycle;
       (C) eligibility to receive student loan repayments;
       (D) incentive pay to extend tours at Pacific Island country 
     posts;
       (E) additional recreation entitlements;
       (F) priority consideration for onward assignments;
       (G) opportunities to serve repeated tours in the same 
     region to develop expertise while aiding career advancement; 
     and
       (H) consideration of United States embassies in Pacific 
     Island countries for Special Incentive Post (SIP) designation 
     eligibility;
       (2) the status of the virtual schooling pilot program 
     undertaken by the Office of Overseas Schools and other 
     programs to support the dependents and spouses of diplomats 
     stationed at Pacific Island country posts;
       (3) current administrative requirements, including 
     reporting requirements, required for embassies in Pacific 
     Island countries and proposals for how to lower the 
     administrative burden on small embassies; and
       (4) any additional measures and financial and nonfinancial 
     incentives to encourage Foreign Service officers to seek 
     assignments to, and remain at, hardship posts in countries 
     where addressing growing and malign foreign government 
     influence is especially critical to United States interests, 
     especially at new posts in remote locations, such as the 
     United States embassies in the Kingdom of Tonga, the Solomon 
     Islands, and the Republic of Vanuatu.
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