The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2005

10 AFSA NEWS • JULY-AUGUST 2005 O n May 5, during AFSA’s fifth annual Day on the Hill pro- gram, 27 retired and three active-duty Foreign Service mem- bers, along with AFSA Governing Board members and staff, visited 19 congressional offices. AFSA has made a traditionof inviting retirees in town for ForeignAffairsDay to joinus for a visit toCapitolHill to meet with members of Congress and staffers on issues related to the Foreign Service and foreign affairs. This year, the 30 colleagues participating inDay on theHill represented seven states and theDistrict of Columbia (Calif., Mass., Md., N.Y., Ohio, Va. andWash.). Themainactive-duty issues AFSA took to the Hill were: eliminating the overseas pay disparity; theneed topass aForeignRelations autho- rization bill; and support of the adminis- tration’s FY 2006 international affairs funding request. The retiree issues includ- ed: support of legislation to allow retirees to pay for health care premiums with pre- tax retirement annuity dollars; support for legislation that would repeal both the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government PensionOffset; and concerns about Social Security reform. MaryLocke, senior professional staff for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, addressed thewhole group inaplenary ses- sion before the meetings. Locke spoke about the need to increase awareness among both the American people and Congress on the importanceof the Foreign Service and thework theydo. Lockepoint- edout the failure of Congress over the past fewyears topass a foreign relations autho- rization bill as indicative of the relative unimportanceCongress assigns to the role of the foreign affairs agencies and diplo- macy. It is not that Congress does not care about foreign affairs, Locke explained, but rather when it needs to find an offset to fund a program, it will often target foreign affairs funding. Locke pointed to the recent vote to take funding in the supplemental bill away from the State Department in order to hire more bor- der patrol agents. AFSA and itsmembers must work to change the perception that no harm comes from using “150 Account” funds to support domestic objectives. After a Q&A session with Ms. Locke, participants separated into smaller groups to visit the offices of their representatives and senators. Because AFSA had already sent copiesof itsbriefingpacket to theoffices being visited, many congressional staffers werewell prepared for a discussiononour issues. AFSA’smessageoneliminatingoverseas pay disparity seems to be gaining traction this year. More congressional staffers are aware of the issue this year than last. Our three active-duty colleagueswere very effec- tive in explaining the issue. Several offices, notably the sponsors of bills regardingpre- mium conversion and WEP and GPO, weredelighted tohear thatAFSAsupported their bills. Now for the bad news. Several con- gressional stafferswerepessimistic about the passage of a foreign relations authorization bill. Virtual Day on the Hill This year, AFSA introduced a new ini- tiative called “Virtual Day on the Hill” to allowthoseunable to travel toWashington, D.C., to help advocate Foreign Service issues. AFSAaskedthatmembers call,write, e-mail or fax their members of Congress, andprovideda sample letter to sendaswell as contact information for each represen- tative and senator. AFSAplans to improve and expand this initiative next year. If you have any feedbackor suggestions, please let us know. Send feedback to Austin Tracy at tracy@afsa.org.  DAY ON THE HILL Taking the Foreign Service Message to the Hill BY AUSTIN TRACY, AFSA EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT Clockwise, from top left: The Capitol; Day on the Hill participants meet with Rep. Chris Van Hollen; senior staffer for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Mary Locke addresses the AFSA group; Day on the Hill participants board the bus to head to the Hill. PHOTOS: MIKKELA THOMPSON