Sec. 2. Findings
192 words·~1 min read·
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Congress finds the following: There is an unprecedented need for American Citizen Services from the Department of State and its posts globally during the COVID–19 pandemic. Consistent intake of new Foreign Service Officers and Foreign Service Specialists is integral to protecting Americans worldwide. American Citizen Services include, among other services, emergency passports, consular reports of birth abroad, virtual or in-person welfare visits of United States citizens who are imprisoned or hospitalized, emergency financial assistance, and repatriation of United States citizens, as well as repatriation of remains when deaths occur abroad.
Consular systems worldwide, as well as previously established crisis management task force procedures, are unable to handle the remote workload and requirements for social distancing simultaneously. The Department of State has increased need for personal protective equipment for its staff worldwide as they fulfill the mission to provide American Citizen Services and perform other essential diplomatic duties. Current United States laws and regulations are not adequate to meet worldwide needs such as the sudden demand for evacuation of United States citizens, combined with reduced or nonexistent private airline capacity, and the reduced staffing capabilities and remote processing of American Citizen Services requests.