H. R. 5009—752 
SEC. 7105. EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEPARTMENT-PAID STU-
DENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 9201 of the Department of State 
Authorization Act of 2022 (22 U.S. 2737) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by inserting ‘‘or have graduated 
from such an institution within the six months preceding 
application to the Program’’ after ‘‘paragraph (1)’’; 
(2) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘and gives preference 
as appropriate to individuals who have not previously completed 
internships within the Department of State and the United 
States Agency for International Development’’ after ‘‘career in 
foreign affairs’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following subsections: 
‘‘(k) WORK HOURS FLEXIBILITY.—Students participating in the 
Program may work fewer than 40 hours per week and a minimum 
of 24 hours per week to accommodate their academic schedules, 
provided that the total duration of the internship remains consistent 
with program requirements. 
‘‘(l) MENTORSHIP PROGRAM.—The Secretary and Administrator 
are authorized to establish a mentoring and coaching program 
that pairs Foreign Service or Civil Service employees with interns 
who choose to participate throughout the duration of their intern-
ship.’’. 
SEC. 7106. CAREER INTERMISSION PROGRAM ADJUSTMENT TO 
ENHANCE RETENTION. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO EXTEND FEDERAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH BEN-
EFIT COVERAGE.—The Secretary and Administrator are authorized 
to offer employees the option of extending Federal Employee Health 
Benefit coverage during pre-approved leave without pay for up 
to 3 years. 
(b) RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREMIUM PAYMENTS.—If an employee 
elects to continue coverage pursuant to subsection (a) for longer 
than 365 days, the employee shall be responsible for 100 percent 
of the premium (employee share and government share) during 
such longer period. 
SEC. 7107. ASSIGNMENT PROCESS MODERNIZATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall modernize the 
Foreign Service bidding process, and should consider incorporating 
the following elements: 
(1) A stable-pair matching, preference-ranking system for 
non-directed Foreign Service employees and hiring bureaus, 
allowing for a more strategic alignment of workforce and 
resources. 
(2) Incorporation of lessons learned from the previous 
stable-pair matching bidding pilot framework referred to as 
‘‘iMatch’’ but applied more expansively to include non-directed 
assignments up through FS–01 positions, taking advantage 
of efficiency benefits such as tandem assignment functionalities. 
(3) 
Mechanisms 
to 
ensure 
transparency, 
efficiency, 
effectiveness, accountability, and flexibility in the assignment 
process, while maintaining equal opportunities for all employees 
in the Foreign Service. 
(4) An independent auditing process to ensure adherence 
to established rules, effectiveness in meeting the Department’s
H. R. 5009—753 
needs, and prevention of bias or manipulation, including 
through the use of protected categories in making assignment 
decisions. 
(b) CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN PROMOTION ISSUES.—In parallel 
with assignment process modernization efforts, the Secretary 
shall— 
(1) assess whether any point systems tied to promotion 
incentives should consider service in hard-to-fill or critical posi-
tions; and 
(2) assess whether the practice of dividing the assignment 
process into winter and summer cycles is necessary or efficient 
compared to stable matching processes. 
(c) REPORTING
AND OVERSIGHT.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
provide the appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
implementation of the assignment process under this section, 
including— 
(1) data on match rates, including in filling critical or 
priority positions, officer and hiring office satisfaction, and the 
impact on tandem placements; 
(2) recommendations for further modifications to the bid-
ding process; 
(3) an overview of the strategy used to communicate any 
changes to the workforce; and 
(4) results of analysis into additional transparency efforts, 
including those described in subsection (a)(3). 
SEC. 7108. REPORT ON MODIFYING CONSULAR TOUR AND FIRST TOURS 
REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees a report that evaluates— 
(1) the feasibility of reducing, removing, or adding flexibility 
to the directed consular tours requirements for non-consular- 
coned generalist members of the Foreign Service; 
(2) the projected impact on consular services if the current 
practice of directed consular tours are revised or removed, 
and projected additional resources or authorities that would 
be needed to address such impact; and 
(3) the feasibility of requiring that first tours for members 
of the Foreign Service be assigned in the National Capital 
Region. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under subsection (a) shall 
include a description of resources required to implement the changes 
described in such subsection, a timeline for implementation, and 
an assessment of the benefits and consequences of such changes, 
including any obstacles. 
SEC. 7109. PER DIEM ALLOWANCE FOR NEWLY HIRED MEMBERS OF 
THE FOREIGN SERVICE. 
(a) PER DIEM ALLOWANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), any 
newly hired Foreign Service employee who is in initial orienta-
tion training, or any other training expected to last less than 
6 months in the Washington, D.C. area before transferring 
to the employee’s first assignment overseas or domestically 
outside the Washington, D.C. area shall, for the duration of
H. R. 5009—754 
such training, receive a per diem allowance at the levels pre-
scribed under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(2) LIMITATION ON LODGING EXPENSES.—A newly hired For-
eign Service employee may not receive any lodging expenses 
under the applicable per diem allowance pursuant to paragraph 
(1) if that employee— 
(A) has a permanent residence in the Washington, 
D.C., area (not including government-supplied housing 
during such orientation training or other training); and 
(B) does not vacate such residence during such orienta-
tion training or other training. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘per diem allowance’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 5701 of title 5, United States Code; and 
(2) the term ‘‘Washington, D.C., area’’ means the geographic 
area within a 50-mile radius of the Washington Monument. 
SEC. 7110. TERMINATION OF RESIDENTIAL OR MOTOR VEHICLE 
LEASES AND TELEPHONE SERVICE CONTRACTS FOR MEM-
BERS OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE. 
Section 907 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
4087) is amended by striking ‘‘Service who are posted abroad at 
a Foreign Service post’’ and inserting ‘‘Foreign Service who are 
posted in the United States or posted abroad’’. 
SEC. 
7111. 
NEEDS-BASED 
CHILDCARE 
SUBSIDIES 
ENROLLMENT 
PERIOD. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Department and USAID shall— 
(1) issue and maintain guidance on how to apply for any 
program authorized under section 630 of the Treasury and 
General Government Appropriations Act, 2002 (Public Law 
107–67; 115 Stat. 552); and 
(2) consider using maximum flexibilities to accept applica-
tions throughout the year or in accordance with Qualifying 
Life Event changes (as defined by the Federal Employees 
Health Benefits Program (FEHB)). 
SEC. 7112. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON DEPARTMENT TRAV-
ELER EXPERIENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a review and submit to the appropriate congres-
sional, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives a report on the effect of 
section 40118 of title 49, United States Code (commonly referred 
to as the ‘‘Fly America Act’’) on Department travelers. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under subsection (a) shall 
include an analysis of the extent to which the Fly America Act— 
(1) disproportionately impacts Department personnel; 
(2) impacts travelers, including their ability to find suitable 
flights and the ability to complete their travel in a timely 
and effective manner; 
(3) increases or decreases costs to the United States 
Government;
H. R. 5009—755 
(4) produces overly burdensome restrictions in times of 
urgent travel such as Emergency Visitation Travel and Ordered/ 
Authorized Departure; and 
(5) a description of other relevant issues the Comptroller 
General determines appropriate. 
SEC. 7113. SEMIANNUAL REPORT ON GLOBAL FOOTPRINT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter for 5 
years, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representa-
tives a report on the global footprint of the Department. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under subsection (a) shall 
include, for each diplomatic post— 
(1) the number and type of Department employees assigned 
to the post; and 
(2) the number of allocated positions that remain unfilled. 
(c) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) shall be 
submitted in classified form. 
SEC. 7114. REPORT ON FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ADVISING FOR-
EIGN GOVERNMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 years, 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional commit-
tees, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Home-
land Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on 
Armed Services of the Senate, and the Permanent Select Committee 
on Intelligence, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, 
and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representa-
tives a report that identifies former United States Government 
senior officials who have been approved by the Secretary to advise 
foreign governments. 
(b) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) shall be 
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. 
SEC. 7115. AUTHORITY TO PAY FOR OR REIMBURSE FOR CERTAIN 
SECURITY SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary and the Administrator are 
authorized to pay for or reimburse for appropriate security services 
to mitigate risks to certain employees or members of their house-
holds resulting from or related to the employee’s official duties 
or affiliation with the Department or USAID. These security equip-
ment or services may include security cameras and services to 
de-prioritize or remove internet search results revealing personally 
identifiable information. 
(b) REQUIRED POLICY.—Prior to paying for or reimbursing serv-
ices pursuant to subsection (a), the Department shall establish 
a policy that— 
(1) outlines the requirements for qualifying for the payment 
of or reimbursement of services; 
(2) identifies the office responsible for vetting requests 
for paying for or reimbursing of services; and 
(3) mandates expeditious consideration of such requests.