I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7673 
To ensure the United States diplomatic workforce at all levels reflects the 
diverse composition of the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 20, 2020 
Ms. BASS (for herself, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. SIRES, Ms. 
JUDY CHU of California, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. EVANS, Ms. 
JAYAPAL, Ms. HAALAND, Mrs. HAYES, and Ms. OMAR) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To ensure the United States diplomatic workforce at all 
levels reflects the diverse composition of the United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Represent America 
Abroad Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) As the United States becomes more racially 
and ethnically diverse, the Department of State 
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must continue to invest in policies to recruit, retain, 
and develop the best and brightest from the full 
spectrum of American society in order to be better 
positioned to advance United States interests 
abroad. 
(2) Foreign Service officers are America’s face 
to the world. Thus, the workforce must represent the 
United States commitment to inclusion and diversity 
in order to effectively advance American values on 
the world stage. 
(3) The Department of State must embrace 
policies that recruit professionals from the broadest 
possible pool of talent and retain them in order to 
significantly increase diversity in the Foreign Serv-
ice. Timely action to increase diversity at the mid- 
levels is crucial, as it takes approximately nine years 
for an entry level Foreign Service officer (class 6, 5, 
4) to rise to the mid-ranks of the Foreign Service 
(class 3, 2, or 1). 
(4) A February 2020 report by the Government 
Accountability Office found barriers to a diverse and 
inclusive workforce at the Department of State, es-
pecially at the mid-career and senior levels. Individ-
uals who are racial or ethnic minorities comprise 
only 24 percent of Foreign Service officers as a 
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whole. At the executive level, individuals who are ra-
cial or ethnic minorities comprise only 13 percent. 
This means that the leadership is the least diverse 
level within the Foreign Service. 
(5) In the past, the Department of State has 
acknowledged its lack of workforce diversity and 
pledged to take concrete steps to address the prob-
lem. In 2017, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson 
recognized a great diversity gap in the Department 
of State and former Secretary of State John Kerry 
noted that in order to represent the United States, 
the Department of State must have a workforce that 
reflects the rich composition of its citizenry. Yet 
there has been no concrete plan to address the lack 
of diversity at the mid-career and senior levels. 
SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF NATIONAL INTEREST; STATE-
MENT OF POLICY. 
(a) DECLARATION OF NATIONAL INTEREST.—Con-
gress declares that it is in the national interest of the 
United States to ensure that the members of the United 
States Foreign Service workforce be representative of the 
American people. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It shall be the policy 
of the Department of State— 
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(1) to strengthen the Foreign Service workforce 
by bolstering the diversity of those who represent 
Americans abroad; 
(2) to treat the people of the Foreign Service 
as its primary asset, and as such, hold as a central 
tenet making strides in increasing minority represen-
tation at all levels of the Foreign Service workforce 
to secure the country’s national interests; and 
(3) in accordance with the Foreign Service Act 
of 1980, to attract highly qualified, mid-career pro-
fessionals who are also American minorities, through 
a pathway program for entry into the Foreign Serv-
ice. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 
shall establish a program, which shall be known as the 
‘‘Represent America Mid-Career Foreign Service Entry 
Program’’ (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Program’’), 
to be administered jointly by the Director General of the 
Foreign Service and the Director of Global Talent Man-
agement, to identify, attract, and welcome mid-career pro-
fessionals who are from minority groups into the Foreign 
Service. 
(b) ELEMENTS OF PROGRAM.— 
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(1) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary 
of State shall carry out the following with respect to 
the Program: 
(A) Establish and publish on the Depart-
ment’s website eligibility criteria for candidates 
to participate in the program. 
(B) Carry out countrywide recruitment ef-
forts to attract highly qualified, mid-career pro-
fessionals from minority groups, such as the 
following: 
(i) Community agencies and organiza-
tions. 
(ii) Faith-based organizations. 
(iii) Community events. 
(iv) Professional associations. 
(v) Colleges and universities, including 
historically Black colleges and universities 
and other minority-serving institutions 
such 
as 
Hispanic-serving 
institutions, 
Asian American and Native American Pa-
cific Islander-serving institutions, Amer-
ican Indian Tribally controlled colleges and 
universities, Alaska Native and Native Ha-
waiian-serving institutions, Tribal colleges 
and universities, Predominantly Black In-
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stitutions, and Native American-serving, 
Nontribal institutions. 
(vi) Diplomats in residence. 
(vii) Job fairs. 
(viii) Newspaper/magazines/journals. 
(ix) Radio stations and programs. 
(x) Websites, webcasts, podcasts, and 
other online channels. 
(C) Recruit eligible candidates for the Pro-
gram. 
(D) Develop a structured program that in-
cludes as part of the initial training, a class or 
module that specifically prepares participants 
for life in the Foreign Service, including con-
veying to such participants essential elements of 
the practical knowledge that is normally ac-
quired during a Foreign Service Officer’s initial 
assignments. 
(E) Include appropriate mentorship and 
other career development opportunities, such as 
leadership training, for Program participants. 
(2) OVERALL QUALIFICATIONS.—In recruiting, 
training, and assigning members of the Program, 
the Secretary of State should seek highly qualified 
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minority individuals who are mid-career profes-
sionals— 
(A) with diverse work experience who have 
capabilities, insights, techniques, and experi-
ences that would serve to enrich the Foreign 
Service workforce and empower it to perform 
more effectively; 
(B) with demonstrated knowledge of, expe-
rience with, and interest in United States for-
eign policy and national security and inter-
national affairs, including knowledge of the af-
fairs, cultures, and languages of other coun-
tries; 
(C) with demonstrable leadership skills and 
the potential for further growth; 
(D) that demonstrate a track record of col-
laboration, team-building, and stakeholder man-
agement skills; 
(E) with demonstrated capacity for critical 
thinking and analytical skills, including the 
ability to synthesize information into clear and 
concise recommendations; 
(F) with strategic thinking, and ability to 
solve complex problems; 
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