(c) REPORTING AND BRIEFING REQUIREMENTS.— 
The Secretary shall provide to the appropriate congres-
sional committees upon request— 
(1) a description of each recommendation from 
each study described in subsection (a) and a table 
detailing which recommendations were accepted and 
which were rejected; and 
(2) a report or briefing detailing the rationale 
for not implementing recommendations made by VE 
studies that may yield significant cost savings to the 
Department, if implemented. 
SEC. 207. BUSINESS VOLUME. 
Section 402(c)(2)(E) of the Omnibus Diplomatic Se-
curity and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (22 U.S.C. 
4852(c)(2)(E)) is amended by striking ‘‘in 3 years’’ and 
inserting ‘‘cumulatively over 3 years’’. 
SEC. 208. EMBASSY SECURITY REQUESTS AND DEFI-
CIENCIES. 
The Secretary shall provide to the appropriate con-
gressional committees upon request information on secu-
rity deficiencies at United States diplomatic posts, includ-
ing— 
(1) requests made over the previous year by 
United States diplomatic posts abroad for security 
upgrades; and 
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(2) significant security deficiencies at United 
States diplomatic posts abroad that are not oper-
ating out of a new embassy compound or new con-
sulate compound. 
SEC. 209. OVERSEAS SECURITY BRIEFINGS. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall revise the Foreign 
Affairs Manual to stipulate that the Bureau of Diplomatic 
Security of the Department shall provide a security brief-
ing or written materials with up-to-date information on 
the current threat environment in writing or orally to all 
United States Government employees traveling to a for-
eign country on official business. To the extent prac-
ticable, such briefing or written materials shall be provided 
to traveling Department employees via teleconference 
prior to their arrival at a post. 
TITLE III—PERSONNEL ISSUES 
SEC. 301. SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS. 
(a) REPORT ON POSITIONS.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a report including— 
(1) recommendations regarding whether to 
maintain in the Department each currently existing 
Special Envoy, Special Representative, Special Coor-
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dinator, Special Negotiator, Envoy, Representative, 
Coordinator, or Special Advisor, including those list-
ed in the report submitted by the Secretary to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on 
April 14, 2017, pursuant to section 418 of the De-
partment of State Authorities Act, Fiscal Year 2017 
(Public Law 114–323), that is not expressly author-
ized by a provision of law enacted by Congress; and 
(2) the justification supporting each of the Sec-
retary’s recommendations made under paragraph 
(1). 
(b) ADVICE AND CONSENT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the report required by subsection (a) is submitted 
to the appropriate congressional committees, the President 
shall present each Special Envoy, Special Representative, 
Special Coordinator, Special Negotiator, Envoy, Rep-
resentative, Coordinator, Special Advisor, or other similar 
position at the Department exercising significant author-
ity pursuant to the laws of the United States and that 
is not expressly authorized by a provision of law enacted 
by Congress to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate for the advice and consent of the Senate. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING ESTAB-
LISHMENT OF POSITIONS.—Nothing in this section may 
be construed as prohibiting the establishment or mainte-
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nance of any Special Envoy, Special Representative, Spe-
cial Coordinator, Special Negotiator, Envoy, Representa-
tive, Coordinator, Special Advisor, or other similar posi-
tion at the Department exercising significant authority 
pursuant to the laws of the United States if any such ap-
pointee is presented to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions of the Senate for the advice and consent of the Sen-
ate not later than 90 days after the appointment of such 
appointee. 
(d) LIMITED EXCEPTION FOR THE TEMPORARY AP-
POINTMENT.—The Secretary may maintain or establish a 
position with the title Special Envoy, Special Representa-
tive, Special Coordinator, Special Negotiator, Special Ad-
visor, or other similar position for a limited period of not 
longer than 180 days if the Secretary notifies the appro-
priate congressional committees at least 15 days prior to 
appointment, including— 
(1) a certification that the position is not ex-
pected to demand the exercise of significant author-
ity pursuant to the laws of the United States; 
(2) a description of the duties and purpose of 
the appointment; and 
(3) the rationale for assigning the specific title. 
(e) RENEWAL
OF
TEMPORARY
APPOINTMENT.— 
Nothing in this section may be construed as prohibiting 
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the Secretary from renewing any position established 
under subsection (d) so long as the Secretary complies 
with the notification requirements contained therein. 
(f) FUNDING RESTRICTIONS.— 
(1) POSITIONS NOT PRESENTED FOR ADVICE 
AND CONSENT.—No funds are authorized to be ap-
propriated for— 
(A) any Special Envoy, Special Represent-
ative, Special Coordinator, Special Negotiator, 
Envoy, Representative, Coordinator, Special 
Advisor, or other similar position at the Depart-
ment exercising significant authority pursuant 
to the laws of the United States who has not 
been presented to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations for the advice and consent of the Sen-
ate pursuant to subsection (b); or 
(B) any staff or resources related to such 
a position until such time as the appointed indi-
vidual has been presented to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations for the advice and consent of 
the Senate. 
(2) TEMPORARY POSITIONS.—No funds are au-
thorized to be appropriated for any position de-
scribed in subsection (d) or for any staff or re-
sources related to such position unless the Secretary 
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has complied with the notification provisions con-
tained therein. 
(3) FISCAL
YEAR
2018.—The restrictions de-
scribed in this subsection shall not apply in fiscal 
year 2018 to positions or associated staff and re-
sources for which funding is expressly provided in an 
Act making appropriations for the Department of 
State, foreign operations, and related programs for 
such fiscal year. 
(g) CONFIRMATION FOR AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—No Special Envoy, Special 
Representative, Special Coordinator, Special Nego-
tiator, Envoy, Representative, Coordinator, Special 
Advisor, or other similar position at the Department 
exercising significant authority pursuant to the laws 
of the United States that is authorized by a provi-
sion of law enacted by Congress (except the position 
authorized by section 621 of the Tibetan Policy Act 
of 2002 (subtitle B of title VI of Public Law 107– 
228; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note)) may be appointed ab-
sent the advice and consent of the Senate. 
(2) FISCAL
YEAR
2018.—The restriction de-
scribed in this subsection shall not apply in fiscal 
year 2018 to positions or associated staff and re-
sources for which funding is expressly provided in an 
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Secretary of State,’’ and inserting ‘‘Sec-
retary of State’’. 
SEC. 302. DEFENSE BASE ACT INSURANCE WAIVERS. 
(a) APPLICATION FOR WAIVERS.—Not later than 30 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall apply to the Department of Labor for a waiver 
from insurance requirements under the Defense Base Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1651 et seq.) for all countries with respect to 
which the requirement was waived prior to January 2017, 
and for which there is not currently a waiver. 
(b) CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 
45 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall certify to the appropriate congressional 
committees that the requirement in subsection (a) has 
been met. 
SEC. 303. STUDY ON FOREIGN SERVICE ALLOWANCES. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days 
after date of the enactment of this Act, and subject 
to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a report de-
tailing an empirical analysis on the effect of overseas 
allowances on the foreign assignment of Foreign 
Service officers (FSOs), to be conducted by a feder-
ally-funded research and development center with 
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appropriate expertise in labor economics and mili-
tary compensation. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The analysis required under 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) identify all allowances paid to FSOs 
living at diplomatic posts overseas; 
(B) examine the efficiency of the Foreign 
Service bidding system in determining foreign 
assignments; 
(C) examine the factors that incentivize 
FSOs to bid on particular assignments, includ-
ing danger levels and hardship conditions; 
(D) examine the Department’s strategy 
and process for incentivizing FSOs to bid on 
assignments that are historically in lower de-
mand, including with monetary compensation, 
and whether monetary compensation is nec-
essary for assignments in higher demand; 
(E) make any relevant comparisons to 
military compensation and allowances; 
(F) recommend options for restructuring 
allowances to improve the efficiency of the as-
signments system and better align FSO incen-
tives with the needs of the Foreign Service, in-
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cluding any cost savings associated with such 
restructuring; 
(G) recommend any statutory changes nec-
essary to implement paragraph (6), such as 
consolidating existing legal authorities for the 
provision of hardship and danger pay; and 
(H) detail any effects of recommendations 
made pursuant to subparagraphs (F) and (G) 
on other United States Government depart-
ments and agencies with civilian employees as-
signed to diplomatic posts, following consulta-
tion with such departments and agencies. 
(b) BRIEFING REQUIREMENT.—Before initiating the 
analysis required under subsection (a)(1), and not later 
than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs in the House of Representatives a briefing on the 
implementation of this section that includes— 
(1) the name of the federally-funded research 
and development center that will conduct such anal-
ysis; and 
(2) the scope of such analysis and terms of ref-
erence for such analysis as specified between the De-
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partment and such federally-funded research and de-
velopment center. 
(c) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make 
available to the federally-funded research and devel-
opment center carrying out the analysis required 
under subsection (a)(1) all necessary and relevant 
information to allow such center to conduct such 
analysis in a quantitative and analytical manner, in-
cluding historical data on the number of bids for 
each foreign assignment and any survey data col-
lected by the Department from eligible bidders on 
their bid decision-making. 
(2) COOPERATION.—The Secretary shall work 
with the heads of other relevant United States Gov-
ernment departments and agencies to ensure such 
departments and agencies provide all necessary and 
relevant information to the federally-funded research 
and development center carrying out the analysis re-
quired under subsection (a)(1). 
(d) INTERIM REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary 
shall require that the chief executive officer of the feder-
ally-funded research and development center that carries 
out the analysis required under subsection (a)(1) submit 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and 
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the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives an interim report on such analysis not later 
than 120 days after date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 304. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FELLOWSHIPS. 
Section 504 of the Foreign Relations Authorization 
Act, Fiscal Year 1979 (22 U.S.C. 2656d) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS RE-
LATED
TO SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY FELLOWSHIP 
PROGRAMS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized 
to make grants or enter into cooperative agreements 
related to Department of State science and tech-
nology fellowship programs, including, for assistance 
in recruiting fellows and the payment of stipends, 
travel, and other appropriate expenses to fellows. 
‘‘(2) EXCLUSION
FROM
CONSIDERATION
AS 
COMPENSATION.—Stipends shall not be considered 
compensation for purposes of section 209 of title 18, 
United States Code (18 U.S.C. 209). 
‘‘(3) MAXIMUM
ANNUAL
AMOUNT.—The total 
amount of grants made pursuant to this subsection 
may not exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year.’’. 
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SEC. 305. TRAVEL FOR SEPARATED FAMILIES. 
Section 901(15) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 
(22 U.S.C. 4081(15)) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 
by striking ‘‘1 round-trip per year for each child 
below age 21 of a member of the Service assigned 
abroad’’ and inserting ‘‘in the case of one or more 
children below age 21 of a member of the Service as-
signed abroad, 1 round-trip per year’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘for each child’’ before 
‘‘to visit the member abroad’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘; or’’ and inserting a 
comma; 
(3) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘for each child’’ before 
‘‘to visit the other parent’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘or’’ after ‘‘resides,’’; 
(4) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) for one of the child’s parents to visit 
the child or children abroad if the child or chil-
dren do not regularly reside with that parent 
and that parent is not receiving an education 
allowance or educational travel allowance for 
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the child or children under section 5924(4) of 
title 5,’’; and 
(5) in the matter following subparagraph (C), 
as added by paragraph (4) of this section, by strik-
ing ‘‘a payment’’ and inserting ‘‘the cost of a round- 
trip’’. 
SEC. 306. HOME LEAVE TRAVEL FOR SEPARATED FAMILIES. 
Section 903(b) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 
(22 U.S.C. 4083(b)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new sentence: ‘‘In cases in which the member’s 
family members reside apart from the member at author-
ized locations outside the United States because they are 
prevented by official order from residing with the member 
at post, the member may take the leave ordered under this 
section where that member’s family members reside, not-
withstanding section 6305 of title 5, United States Code.’’. 
SEC. 307. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING CERTAIN FEL-
LOWSHIP PROGRAMS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) Department fellowships that promote the 
employment of candidates belonging to under-rep-
resented groups, including the Charles B. Rangel 
International Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program, 
the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship 
Program, and the Donald M. Payne International 
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Development Fellowship Program, represent smart 
investments vital for building a strong, capable, and 
representative national security workforce; and 
(2) the Secretary of State and the Adminis-
trator of the United States Agency for International 
Development should fulfill their obligations to each 
participant in the Fellowship Programs referred to 
in paragraph (1), as specified in the original con-
tractual agreements with each such participant. 
SEC. 308. TECHNICAL CORRECTION. 
Subparagraph (A) of section 601(c)(6) of the Foreign 
Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4001(c)(6)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘individual’’ and inserting ‘‘Foreign Service of-
ficer, appointed under section 302(a)(1), who has general 
responsibility for carrying out the functions of the Serv-
ice’’. 
SEC. 309. FOREIGN SERVICE AWARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 614 of the Foreign Serv-
ice Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4013) is amended— 
(1) by amending the section heading to read as 
follows: ‘‘DEPARTMENT AWARDS’’; and 
(2) in the first sentence, by inserting ‘‘or Civil 
Service’’ after ‘‘the Service’’. 
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(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The item relating 
to section 614 in the table of contents of the Foreign Serv-
ice Act of 1980 is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘Sec. 614. Department awards.’’. 
SEC. 310. DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR PROGRAMS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—For 
‘‘Diplomatic and Consular Programs’’, there is authorized 
to be appropriated $8,720,411,000 for fiscal year 2019. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS ON WORKFORCE RECRUIT-
MENT.—It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary 
should continue to hold entry-level classes for Foreign 
Service officers and specialists and continue to recruit civil 
servants through programs such as the Presidential Man-
agement Fellows Program and Pathways Internship Pro-
grams in a manner and at a frequency consistent with 
prior years and consistent with the need to maintain a 
pool of experienced personnel effectively distributed across 
skill codes and ranks. It is further the sense of Congress 
that absent continuous recruitment and training of For-
eign Service officers and civil servants, the Department 
will lack experienced, qualified personnel in the short, me-
dium, and long term. 
(c) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not use any 
amounts made available pursuant to the authorization of 
appropriations under subsection (a) for any reduction-in- 
force action under section 3502 or 3595 of title 5, United 
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States Code, or for any incentive payments for early sepa-
ration or retirement under any other provision of law un-
less— 
(1) the appropriate congressional committees 
are notified not less than 15 days in advance of such 
obligation or expenditure; and 
(2) the Secretary has provided to the appro-
priate congressional committees a detailed report 
that describes the Department’s strategic staffing 
plan, including— 
(A) a justification that describes how any 
proposed workforce reduction enhances the ef-
fectiveness of the Department; 
(B) a certification that such workforce re-
duction is in the national interest of the United 
States; 
(C) a comprehensive strategic staffing plan 
for the Department, including five-year work-
force forecasting and a description of the antici-
pated impact of any proposed workforce reduc-
tion; and 
(D) a dataset displaying comprehensive 
workforce data for all current and planned em-
ployees of the Department, disaggregated by— 
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(i) Foreign Service officer and For-
eign Service specialist rank; 
(ii) civil service job skill code, grade 
level, and bureau of assignment; 
(iii) contracted employees, including 
the equivalent job skill code and bureau of 
assignment; and 
(iv) employees hired under schedule C 
of subpart C of part 213 of title 5, Code 
of Federal Regulations, including their 
equivalent grade and job skill code and bu-
reau of assignment. 
TITLE IV—DIVERSITY AND 
VETERAN RECRUITMENT 
SEC. 401. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) APPLICANT FLOW DATA.—The term ‘‘appli-
cant flow data’’ means data that tracks the rate of 
applications for job positions among demographic 
categories. 
(2) DEMOGRAPHIC
DATA.—The term ‘‘demo-
graphic data’’ means facts or statistics relating to 
the demographic categories specified in the Office of 
Management and Budget statistical policy directive 
entitled ‘‘Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and 
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