I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6054 
To ensure that the United States diplomatic workforce at all levels reflects 
the diverse composition of the United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 25, 2023 
Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE (for herself, Mr. LIEU, Mr. TORRES of New York, Mr. 
CASTRO of Texas, Mr. KIM of New Jersey, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. TITUS, 
Ms. OMAR, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. COHEN, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. 
LEE of California, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. VEASEY, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. 
TAKANO, Ms. NORTON, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. POCAN, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. 
BROWNLEY, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. TRONE, and Ms. JAYAPAL) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs 
A BILL 
To ensure that the United States diplomatic workforce at 
all levels reflects the diverse composition of the United 
States, and for other purposes. 
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 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The Department of State and the United 
States 
Agency 
for 
International 
Development 
(USAID) must continue to invest in policies to re-
cruit, retain, and develop the best and brightest 
from the full spectrum of American society in order 
to be better positioned to advance United States in-
terests abroad. 
(2) Foreign Service officers are America’s face 
to the world and in order to effectively advance 
American values on the world stage should represent 
the United States commitment to inclusion and di-
versity. 
(3) The Department of State and USAID must 
embrace policies that recruit professionals from the 
broadest possible pool of talent and retain them in 
order to have a Foreign Service that is the most ef-
fective and truly reflects the diversity of the United 
States. 
(4) February and June 2020 reports by the 
Government Accountability Office found barriers to 
a diverse and inclusive workforce within the ranks of 
the Foreign Service, especially at the mid-career and 
senior levels. Individuals who are racial or ethnic mi-
norities comprise only 24 percent at the Department 
of State and 27 percent at USAID. At the executive 
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level, individuals who are racial or ethnic minorities 
comprise only 13 percent at the Department of 
State and 17 percent at USAID. This means that 
the leadership is the least diverse level within the 
Foreign Service. 
(5) In the past, Secretaries of State have ac-
knowledged the 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. 
(6) USAID has previously identified under-rep-
resentation of specific groups in its workforce, but 
staffing gaps, partly due to a lack of senior leader-
ship attention, prevent the agency from adequately 
addressing the issue. 
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 
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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 and of the United States 
Agency for International Development— 
(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 representation 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 belong to historically excluded groups, 
through a pathway program for entry into the For-
eign Service. 
SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF LATERAL ENTRY FOREIGN SERV-
ICE PROGRAM. 
(a) MODIFICATION OF LATERAL ENTRY FOREIGN 
SERVICE PROGRAM.—Section 404 of the Department of 
State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114– 
323; 130 Stat. 1928) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘SEC. 404. LATERAL ENTRY INTO THE FOREIGN SERVICE. 
‘‘(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
‘‘(1) the Foreign Service should permit mid-ca-
reer entry into the Foreign Service for qualified indi-
viduals who are willing to bring their talents and ex-
periences to the work of the Foreign Service; and 
‘‘(2) the lateral entry program authorized under 
this section should be used to address disparities in 
retention and promotion as identified by barrier 
analysis and 2020 Government Accountability Office 
reports, by identifying, attracting, and welcoming 
into the Foreign Service highly qualified mid-career 
professionals who belong to historically excluded 
groups in terms of racial, ethnic, geographic, and 
gender diversity, and disability status. 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary 
shall establish a pilot program for lateral entry into the 
Foreign Service by mid-career professionals who belong to 
historically excluded groups in terms of racial, ethnic, geo-
graphic, and gender diversity, and disability status that— 
‘‘(1) is in full comportment with current For-
eign Service intake procedures, including the re-
quirement to pass the Foreign Service exam; 
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‘‘(2) requires only one directed assignment in a 
position appropriate to the grade level of the partici-
pant; 
‘‘(3) includes, as part of the required initial 
training, a class or module that specifically prepares 
participants in the pilot program for life in the For-
eign Service, including conveying to such partici-
pants essential elements of the practical knowledge 
that is normally acquired during a Foreign Service 
officer’s initial assignments; 
‘‘(4) includes an annual assessment of the 
progress of the pilot program by a review board con-
sisting of Department officials with appropriate ex-
pertise, including employees of the Foreign Service, 
in order to evaluate the success of the pilot program; 
and 
‘‘(5) includes recruitment outreach for pilot 
program participation to— 
‘‘(A) diversity officers in the private sector; 
‘‘(B) all members of the civil service of the 
Department and recognized Department affin-
ity groups; 
‘‘(C) the civil service of other national se-
curity related Federal agencies; and 
‘‘(D) professional associations. 
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‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.—The pilot program under 
subsection (b) shall be administered jointly by the Director 
General of the Foreign Service, the Director of Global Tal-
ent Management of the Department of State, and the 
Chief Human Capital Officer of the Office of Human Cap-
ital and Talent Management of the United States Agency 
for International Development. 
‘‘(d) ELEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall carry out the following with respect to 
the pilot program under subsection (b): 
‘‘(A) Establish and publish eligibility cri-
teria for candidates to participate in the pilot 
program. 
‘‘(B) Carry out countrywide recruitment 
efforts to attract highly qualified, mid-career 
professionals from among historically excluded 
groups, such as at and through the following: 
‘‘(i) Community agencies and organi-
zations. 
‘‘(ii) Faith-based organizations. 
‘‘(iii) Community events. 
‘‘(iv) Professional associations. 
‘‘(v) Colleges and universities, includ-
ing historically Black colleges and univer-
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sities and other minority-serving institu-
tions 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-
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) Include appropriate mentorship and 
other career development opportunities, such as 
leadership training, for participants in the pilot 
program. 
‘‘(2) OVERALL
QUALIFICATIONS.—In estab-
lishing eligibility criteria under paragraph (1)(A), 
the Secretary shall seek highly qualified individuals 
who are mid-career professionals from the civil serv-
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ice and private sector belonging to historically ex-
cluded groups— 
‘‘(A) with diverse work experience, who 
have capabilities, insights, techniques, and expe-
riences that would serve to enrich the Foreign 
Service workforce and empower it to perform 
more effectively; 
‘‘(B) with demonstrated knowledge of, ex-
perience 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 
collaboration, team-building, and stakeholder 
management skills; 
‘‘(E) with demonstrated capacity for crit-
ical 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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