Sec. 205. Modification of lateral entry Foreign Service programs
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It is the sense of Congress that— the Foreign Service should permit mid-career entry to qualified individuals who are willing to bring their talents and experience to the work of the Foreign Service; and the lateral entry program authorized under this section should be used to address disparities in retention and promotion identified by data compiled by international affairs agencies and Government Accountability Office reports by identifying, attracting, and welcoming into the Foreign Service highly qualified mid-career professionals, including minorities.
In this section, the term mid-career professional means an individual who has the skills and experience to serve as a mid-level Foreign Service officer (class 3, 2, or 1) or in an equivalent position. Each agency, as appropriate, is authorized to establish a program that fully complies with current Foreign Service intake procedures to encourage lateral entry into the Foreign Service by mid-career professionals with critical specialized skills, including individuals who belong to underrepresented groups.
Each program established pursuant to subsection
(c)shall be administered jointly by the respective agency’s personnel office head and the CDIO or another designated senior official with responsibilities for transparency and accountability in employment practices. The head of each agency, in implementing the program established pursuant to subsection (c), shall— establish and publish eligibility criteria for candidates to participate in the program; carry out national recruitment efforts to attract highly qualified, mid-career professionals from the civil service, private sector, academia, and other professions that would serve to enrich the Foreign Service workforce and empower it to perform more effectively, including recruiting from underrepresented groups; and include mentorship and other career development opportunities as part of the program. Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the following 5 years, each agency shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that— describes the current status of the program established pursuant to subsection (c); and includes disaggregated demographic data regarding program recruitment, acceptance, and placement rates.