President’s Views

BY TOM YAZDGERDI

As I write this column in late July, we are entering the latter stage of the 2024 presidential elections. There is much uncertainty and, to be frank, uneasiness about what the future holds for the U.S. Foreign Service. Whichever party wins, we may see another divided Congress that could continue to hamper the ability to compromise and pass legislation.

For Fiscal Year 2025, and perhaps beyond, we can expect flat or declining international affairs budgets that, at best, do not keep pace with inflation, risking the continued robust hiring that is so desperately needed to keep our missions abroad fully staffed and engaged.

There may also be attempts to put in place policies that significantly weaken the Foreign Service and AFSA—based on assumptions that these are partisan organizations working against the intent of the administration.

We all know that such assumptions are false. Throughout its storied history, the Foreign Service has faithfully carried out the foreign policy initiatives of every U.S. president, regardless of party, in some of the most difficult and dangerous places on earth. That will not change, nor should it ever.

It is this nonpartisan and professional orientation that is our greatest strength. It allows us to provide continuity between administrations and to give presidents and their national security teams our best advice.

We may offer alternatives to current policy, internally and including use of the Dissent Channel that AFSA helped institutionalize in the 1970s. But once we offer this advice, and whether or not it is taken, we implement the administration’s policy. If we cannot do that, then the next step is resignation.

Throughout this centennial year of the modern Foreign Service, AFSA has emphasized not only the duty and sacrifice of our members, but the true nature of our Service, which is dedicated to protecting our citizens and U.S. interests and promoting American values overseas.

AFSA is scrupulous about not taking sides in presidential elections, favors neither party, does not engage in foreign policy debates, and issues no political statements. In that sense, we are akin to members of the military.

All this is not to say that AFSA will remain silent if we see policies that threaten the existence of the Foreign Service and the well-being of our members. We have and will continue to stand up for the Foreign Service. AFSA is proud of the legal and moral support, for example, that we provided to FS members who were subpoenaed to testify before Congress during the previous administration.

We have developed our relationships on Capitol Hill to the extent that AFSA is a respected voice on both sides of the aisle. This has resulted in policy wins that make our Service stronger and more resilient.

AFSA recently supported bipartisan legislation (HR 1002) that would oppose the creation of Schedule F. Introduced by the previous administration, the Schedule F initiative would create a new category of government employees in policymaking positions who would not be provided the same labor rights and protections as those in competitive, merit-based positions.

In doing so, Schedule F would essentially politicize key government positions and would have a corrosive effect on merit-based government service.

HR 1002 would prevent any position in the federal competitive service from being reclassified outside merit system principles unless such positions are placed in the excepted service as in effect on Sept. 30, 2020. There have been several attempts to consider the bill as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act, but none have been successful so far.

In the hue and cry of a divided America, and in a presidential election year and beyond, we must stay true to ourselves. That means implementing the foreign policy of any incoming administration but also ensuring that we have the space to offer our best, objective advice and that our Foreign Service has the respect and support of the new president and their foreign policy team.

Please let me know your thoughts by writing yazdgerdi@afsa.org or member@afsa.org.