United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office National Security and International Affairs Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1995-04-06 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:T-NSIAD-95-136 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-95-136 P0b002ee180377aea f:tns95136 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-95-136 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-95-136 T-NSIAD-95-136 Americans employed abroad Personnel management Diplomats Federal employees Employment of foreign nationals Embassies Consulates Administrative costs Cost control Compensation Foreign Affairs Administrative Support System Testimony NSIAD In 1994, the State Department, the U.S. Information Agency (USIA), and about 35 other agencies employed nearly 38,000 personnel at 260 diplomatic posts around the work. About half of these personnel are Americans. It is expensive to maintain U.S. government workers abroad. According to agency estimates, it costs roughly two to three times more to assign staff overseas than in Washington. GAO concludes that significant savings would result if overseas staffing were reduced. State, USIA, and other agencies need to consider the extent to which their diplomatic presence is essential and affordable given world changes and efforts to reduce the cost of government. By developing more systematic staffing allocation systems that use complete cost data, agencies will be in a better position to determine needed staffing levels and make appropriate reductions. GAO also found that mechanisms to review and monitor aggregate staffing levels are fragmented and weak. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-95-136/html/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-95-136.htm GAO/T-NSIAD-95-136 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-95-136 Testimony GAO/T-NSIAD-95-136; Overseas Staffing: U.S. Government Diplomatic Presence Abroad; Americans employed abroad Personnel management Diplomats Federal employees Employment of foreign nationals Embassies Consulates Administrative costs Cost control Compensation Foreign Affairs Administrative Support System