H. R. 2670—844 
to address mental health needs for both foreign and civil serv-
ants. 
(2) EMPLOYMENT TARGETS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this division, the Secretary shall 
seek to employ not fewer than 10 additional personnel in the 
Bureau of Medical Services, compared to the number of per-
sonnel employed as of the date of the enactment of this division. 
(b) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a study on the accessi-
bility of mental health care providers and services available to 
Department personnel, including an assessment of— 
(1) the accessibility of mental health care providers at 
diplomatic posts and in the United States; 
(2) the accessibility of inpatient services for mental health 
care for Department personnel; 
(3) steps that may be taken to improve such accessibility; 
(4) the impact of the COVID–19 pandemic on the mental 
health of Department personnel, particularly those who served 
abroad between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022, and 
Locally Employed Staff, where information is available; 
(5) recommended steps to improve the manner in which 
the Department advertises mental health services to the 
workforce; 
(6) hesitancy to seek out mental health services, due to 
perceptions and realities regarding the degree to which 
employees’ use of mental health services could impact their 
career trajectory, including security clearances; and 
(7) additional authorities and resources needed to better 
meet the mental health needs of Department personnel. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this division, the Secretary shall submit to appropriate 
congressional committees a report containing the findings of the 
study under subsection (b). 
SEC. 6223. EMERGENCY BACK-UP CARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary and the Administrator for 
the United States Agency for International Development are author-
ized to provide for unanticipated non-medical care, including 
dependent child and eldercare, and essential services directly 
related to caring for an acute injury or illness, for USAID and 
Department employees and their family members, including 
through the provision of such non-medical services, referrals to 
care providers, and reimbursement of reasonable expenses for such 
services. 
(b) LIMITATION.—Services provided pursuant to this section 
shall not exceed $2,000,000 per fiscal year. 
SEC. 6224. EXCEPTION FOR GOVERNMENT-FINANCED AIR TRANSPOR-
TATION. 
(a) REDUCING HARDSHIP FOR TRANSPORTATION OF DOMESTIC 
ANIMALS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c) 
of section 40118 of title 49, United States Code, the Department 
is authorized to pay for the transportation by a foreign air 
carrier of Department personnel and any in-cabin or accom-
panying checked baggage or cargo if— 
(A) no air carrier holding a certificate under section 
41102 of such title is willing and able to transport up
H. R. 2670—845 
to 3 domestic animals accompanying such Federal per-
sonnel; and 
(B) the transportation is from a place— 
(i) outside the United States to a place in the 
United States; 
(ii) in the United States to a place outside the 
United States; or 
(iii) outside the United States to another place 
outside the United States. 
(2) LIMITATION.—An amount paid pursuant to paragraph 
(1) for transportation by a foreign carrier may not be greater 
than the amount that would otherwise have been paid had 
the transportation been on an air carrier holding a certificate 
under section 41102 had that carrier been willing and able 
to provide such transportation. If the amount that would other-
wise have been paid to such an air carrier is less than the 
cost of transportation on the applicable foreign carrier, the 
Department personnel may pay the difference of such amount. 
(3) DOMESTIC
ANIMAL
DEFINED.—In this subsection, the 
term ‘‘domestic animal’’ means a dog or a cat. 
SEC. 6225. INTERNET AT HARDSHIP POSTS. 
Section 3 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
1956 (22 U.S.C. 2670) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (l), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting a 
semicolon; 
(2) in subsection (m) by striking the period at the end 
and by inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(n) pay expenses to provide internet services in residences 
owned or leased by the United States Government in foreign coun-
tries for the use of Department personnel where Department per-
sonnel receive a post hardship differential equivalent to 30 percent 
or more above basic compensation.’’. 
SEC. 6226. COMPETITIVE LOCAL COMPENSATION PLAN. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PREVAILING WAGE 
RATES GOAL.—Section 401(a) of the Department of State Authorities 
Act, fiscal year 2017 (22 U.S.C. 3968a(a)) is amended in the matter 
preceding paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘periodically’’ and inserting 
‘‘every 3 years’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this division, the Secretary shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees, the Committee on Appropriations 
of the Senate, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
of Representatives a report that includes— 
(1) compensation (including position classification) plans 
for locally employed staff based upon prevailing wage rates 
and compensation practices for corresponding types of positions 
in the locality of employment; and 
(2) an assessment of the feasibility and impact of changing 
the prevailing wage rate goal for positions in the local com-
pensation plan from the 50th percentile to the 75th percentile. 
SEC. 6227. SUPPORTING TANDEM SPOUSES IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that—
H. R. 2670—846 
(1) challenges finding and maintaining spousal employment 
and family dissatisfaction are one of the leading reasons 
employees cite for leaving the Department; 
(2) tandem Foreign Service personnel represent important 
members of the Foreign Service community, who act as force 
multipliers for our diplomacy; 
(3) the Department can and should do more to keep tandem 
spouses posted together and consider family member employ-
ment needs when assigning tandem officers; and 
(4) common sense steps providing more flexibility in the 
assignments process would improve outcomes for tandem offi-
cers without disadvantaging other Foreign Service Officers. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) FAMILY
TOGETHERNESS.—The term ‘‘family together-
ness’’ means facilitating the placement of Foreign Service per-
sonnel at the same United States diplomatic post when both 
spouses are members of a tandem couple of Foreign Service 
personnel. 
(2) TANDEM FOREIGN SERVICE PERSONNEL; TANDEM.—The 
terms ‘‘tandem Foreign Service personnel’’ and ‘‘tandem’’ mean 
a member of a couple of which one spouse is a career or 
career candidate employee of the Foreign Service and the other 
spouse is a career or career candidate employee of the Foreign 
Service or an employee of one of the agencies authorized to 
use the Foreign Service Personnel System under section 202 
of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3922). 
(c) FAMILY TOGETHERNESS IN ASSIGNMENTS.—Not later than 
90 days after the date of enactment of this division, the Department 
shall amend and update its policies to further promote the principle 
of family togetherness in the Foreign Service, which shall include 
the following: 
(1) ENTRY-LEVEL FOREIGN SERVICE PERSONNEL.—The Sec-
retary shall adopt policies and procedures to facilitate the 
assignment of entry-level tandem Foreign Service personnel 
on directed assignments to the same diplomatic post or country 
as their tandem spouse if they request to be assigned to the 
same post or country. The Secretary shall also provide a written 
justification to the requesting personnel explaining any denial 
of a request that would result in tandem spouses not serving 
together at the same post or country. 
(2) TENURED FOREIGN SERVICE PERSONNEL.—The Secretary 
shall add family togetherness to the criteria when making 
a needs of the Service determination, as defined by the Foreign 
Affairs Manual, for the placement of tenured tandem Foreign 
Service personnel at United States diplomatic posts. 
(3) UPDATES TO ANTINEPOTISM POLICY.—The Secretary shall 
update antinepotism policies so that nepotism rules only apply 
when an employee and a relative are placed into positions 
wherein they jointly and exclusively control government 
resources, property, or money or establish government policy. 
(4) TEMPORARY SUPERVISION OF TANDEM SPOUSE.—The Sec-
retary shall update policies to allow for a tandem spouse to 
temporarily supervise another tandem spouse for up to 90 
days in a calendar year, including at a United States diplomatic 
mission. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this division, and annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary
H. R. 2670—847 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
that includes— 
(1) the number of Foreign Service tandem spouses currently 
serving; 
(2) the number of Foreign Service tandems currently 
serving in separate locations, or, to the extent possible, that 
are on leave without pay (LWOP); and 
(3) an estimate of the cost savings that would result if 
all Foreign Service tandem spouses were placed at a single 
post. 
SEC. 6228. ACCESSIBILITY AT DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this division, the Department shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees, the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives a report that includes— 
(1) a list of the overseas United States diplomatic missions 
that, as of the date of the enactment of this division, are 
not readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabil-
ities; 
(2) any efforts in progress to make such missions readily 
accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities; and 
(3) an estimate of the cost to make all such missions 
readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. 
SEC. 6229. REPORT ON BREASTFEEDING ACCOMMODATIONS OVER-
SEAS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this division, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a report that includes— 
(1) a detailed report on the Department’s efforts to equip 
100 percent of United States embassies and consulates with 
dedicated lactation spaces, other than bathrooms, that are 
shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers 
and the public for use by employees, including the expected 
demand for such spaces as well as the status of such rooms 
when there is no demand for such space; and 
(2) a description of costs and other resources needed to 
provide such spaces. 
SEC. 6230. DETERMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF KNOWLEDGE 
TRANSFERS BETWEEN FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS. 
The Secretary shall assess the effectiveness of knowledge trans-
fers between Foreign Service Officers who are departing from over-
seas positions and Foreign Service Officers who are arriving at 
such positions, and make recommendations for approving such 
knowledge transfers, as appropriate, by— 
(1) not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this division, conducting a written survey of a representative 
sample of Foreign Service Officers working in overseas assign-
ments that analyzes the effectiveness of existing mechanisms 
to 
facilitate 
transitions, 
including 
training, 
mentorship, 
information technology, knowledge management, relationship 
building, the role of locally employed staff, and organizational 
culture; and 
(2) not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment 
of this division, submitting to the appropriate congressional