54 JUNE 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA Advocacy and Policy Manager Sean O’Gorman with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Senator Tara Durant (R-Va.) at the April 4 signing ceremony for Virginia SB 1244. KATHY ROBERTS Legislative victory for Foreign Service families in Virginia. On March 24, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed Senate Bill 1244 into law, simplifying school enrollment in Virginia for children of federal employees returning from overseas. The legislation, championed by State Senator Tara Durant, allows provisional enrollment with unofficial records and honors previous educational placements. AFSA helped build bipartisan support for the bill by connecting lawmakers with relevant data and family testimonials. The law takes effect July 1, 2025. See full story on page 67 of the April-May FSJ. Update on USAGM litigation. On March 28, a federal judge in Manhattan, U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Government lawyers sought to move the case to Washington, D.C., but the judge signaled it would likely remain in the Southern District of New York. AFSA will provide updates as more information becomes available. Call for stories: “Service Disrupted” campaign. AFSA is launching a new public outreach campaign in May: “Service Disrupted” is aimed at raising awareness about the effects of recent policy decisions on the important work of the Foreign Service. Members are invited to submit short personal stories (500 words or fewer) explaining their roles, why their work matters, and how recent changes have affected them. Read a selection of recent stories on page 23. Transition to direct dues payments underway. Following the State Department’s abrupt decision to cease union dues deductions from active-duty and annuity pay, AFSA is working diligently to transition affected members to a direct payment system. Plans include options for autorenewal and quarterly payment plans. Members are encouraged to update their AFSA accounts with personal email addresses and mailing information to stay abreast of the latest AFSA communications. MSPB survey to support legal action. AFSA announced the upcoming release of a Merit Systems Protection Board class action survey aimed at gathering information to assist their legal team in preparing for action related to USAID’s RIF notices. Completing the survey does not commit members to participation but serves as an information-gathering tool. Members will have the opportunity to opt in or out of the legal effort at a later stage. AFSA’s continued advocacy despite changes in union recognition. While official labor-management channels have been shut down, and AFSA was asked to vacate its State Department–provided office by April 4, the association continues to operate from its headquarters at 2101 E Street NW. AFSA remains dedicated to assisting members with grievances and disciplinary cases, and will continue to provide guidance on various professional matters. DEIA core precept and performance evaluations. The State Department’s Office of Performance Evaluations (GTM/PE) hosted a series of webinars to discuss the elimination of the DEIA core precept in the 2024-2025 rating period—a unilateral change that violates the negotiated 2022–2025 Core Precepts. AFSA is concerned that we are not being consulted on the procedural guidance (also known as the Procedural Precepts) for the 2025 Foreign Service Selection Boards, which GTM/PE plans to release unilaterally in May. We continue to push back on these procedural violations to ensure a fair, transparent process. Annual AFSA Memorial Plaque Ceremony. Foreign Service Day is May 1. As we have for decades, AFSA will take part in the annual Memorial Plaque Ceremony on May 2 to honor those who gave their lives in service to our country. AFSA owns and maintains the plaques and ensures that each name inscribed meets the established criteria for inclusion. Advocacy/retirement benefits. Congress is expected to begin major work on reconciliation the week of April 28. Notably, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee—which oversees federal employee and retiree benefits—has a markup session scheduled for April 30. Many of you have already contacted your elected representatives to urge them to protect these benefits. To support continued outreach, we’ve created a federal retirement advocacy template that can be found at https://bit.ly/VERAtemplate. As always, remember to engage with Congress in your personal capacity—on your own time and without using government resources—in compliance with the Anti- Lobbying Act. n
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