The Foreign Service Journal, April 2020

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 19 global leadership and economic compet- itiveness, strengthen linkages between the U.S. and other countries, and contain Chinese influence abroad.” In their letter, the lawmakers cite the Lowy lnstitute’s “2019 Global Diplomacy Index” to underscore the urgency of increasing the U.S. diplomatic presences Proud to Help Foreign Service Families Foreign Service officers play a crucial role in furthering our national security interests and promoting our values abroad, and their patriotic family members endure frequent moves to support that service. I’m proud to co-sponsor this bill to help remove the hurdles that make it difficult for Foreign Service families to access job opportunities. —Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), in a Feb. 7 press release on the Foreign Service Families Act. Supporting Commercial Policy We’re also putting commercial diplomacy at the fore- front of our foreign policy to help confront China around the world through bills like my Championing American Business Through Diplomacy Act. The original mission of the Foreign Service was to advance American interests, American business interests. It’s in their charter, and yet many diplomats seem to forget that that is a fundamental mission of the State Department, to advance our business interests abroad. —Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), from remarks at a Feb. 4 American Enterprise Institute event in Washington, D.C., “How to Counter China’s Global Malign Influence.” Funding USAID Let me start by once again acknowledging the good work that you are doing at USAID and the collaborative manner in which you do it. These are not easy times to be engaged in international development: the challenging operating environments from insecurity continue to mount as do the needs of those we aim to help. I salute your dedicated cadre of development profession- als that too often are working in or near very dangerous circumstances. … Turning to the matter at hand, the presi- dent’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2021 is nearly a 20 percent cut from the Fiscal Year 2020 enacted budget. I look forward to work- ing with the chairwoman in the weeks ahead on a bill that provides more appropriate levels of funding to address the serious global chal- lenges that we are confronted with this year. —Representative Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), ranking member of the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee, at the hearing on the USAID budget request for FY 2021 with USAID Director Mark Green, March 3. Telling the Truth There are some 24,000 Civil and Foreign Service officers, Mr. Secretary, who are also listening to you right now. They know that they have a duty to implement this president’s policies and they do. You called them just a moment ago “amazing people.”You know they’re not working against this president. But they also feel they have a responsibility to share with you and their president their best judgment to tell you the truth as they see it, whether it’s what the leadership wants to hear or not. …Are you going to back them up when they speak what they believe to be the truth? Are you going to stand by while people in the White House talk about purging your employees? —Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.), questioning Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Feb. 28. Heard on the Hill JOSH abroad. According to the index, China now has the largest diplomatic network in the world. The senators request specific data from State and pose several questions about the pattern of diplomatic postings in recent years and going forward, stating that they would welcome the opportunity to meet with the Secretary in the near future to discuss this important issue. AFSA has long promoted a field-for- ward Foreign Service to restore America’s core diplomatic capability. n This edition of Talking Points was com- piled by Cameron Woodworth.