The Foreign Service Journal, July/August 2018

18 JULY-AUGUST 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Diplomacy Must Lead If we don’t lead, others will. Our formidable military force, though, is only one side of the coin. You, Secretary Pompeo, have rightly recognized that diplomacy must lead our foreign policy. American diplomats serve on the front lines. We need them well-trained. I’m encouraged by the [State] Department’s interest in strengthening the Foreign Service Institute. And we need sufficient funding to combat wildlife and drug trafficking, build open markets, save lives during natural disas- ters, and do the many other things our aid accounts support. The appropriations process will adequately fund diplomacy and development, I believe. —Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.), House Foreign Affairs Com- mittee hearing on the FY19 State Department budget, May 23. Thank Our Foreign National Employees Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and thank the thousands of foreign national employees who work for United States embas- sies overseas supporting our Foreign Service and promoting democratic ideals throughout the world. Many Americans may not know exactly what the Foreign Service does, but I can assure you that our diplomats are out every day promoting the interests of the United States, our constituents, our businesses and our values. But what often goes unnoticed are the thousands of foreign national employees who work at U.S. embassies in support of our diplomats as they build and strengthen democratic institutions, create and sustain markets for American products and promote democracy in some of the most hostile, austere environments in the world. I would like to tell you about one such unsung hero of the State Department’s mission in Havana, Cuba. Olexis Lugo was born there in 1966, and worked for the U.S. Interests Section and, later, the U.S. embassy in Havana for more than a decade. Lugo, as he was known to diplomat colleagues, was a driver in the embassy’s motor pool and supported countless missions with U.S. diplomats. More than a driver, Lugo aided diplomats in understanding the nuances of Cuban culture and provided critical insight that helped our diplomats do their jobs effectively. This past year, Lugo suddenly passed away in Havana; but his legacy will live on in the American lives he touched and the ideals of democracy and freedom that he helped support. I hope when it comes time to talk about our foreign affairs budget, we will remember our diplomats and the folks from foreign countries, like Lugo, who are working hard for the American people to keep this world safe for democracy. —Floor statement from Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), May 9. Enhancing National Security The new Secretary of State took an action this week which will enhance our national security: Secretary Mike Pompeo lifted the hiring freeze at the State Department. This may sound like an inside-the-Beltway bureaucratic action, but its impact will echo across the world. Why? The talented men and women of the State Department are on this country’s front lines, defending our national interests and freedom around the world. If we are to effectively “marry” the “hard power” of our military with the “soft power” of diplomacy, we need the right Foreign Service personnel at the right posts now! —Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), in a constituent newsletter sent on May 18. A Little Bit Too Complacent Often people across America are under the impression that we are giving away the store with our foreign aid, when in fact it’s only like 1 percent of the budget. But, you know, I am concerned in the Western Hemi- sphere we sort of turn our heads, and we’ve been a little bit too complacent and maybe abdicated our leadership role in Latin America. And as a result, all these bad things have happened. China is now very much present in Panama. Costa Rica and, most recently, the Dominican Republic, have stabilized relationships with a country that is very much still engaged in currency manipulation, the stealing of intellectual rights and fraud. ... I met recently with one of the Latin America leaders, and he said tome, “Name me one major project, one infrastruc- ture project that America is involved in investing in, as China proposes to do withmany of these countries.” Frankly, Mr. Secretary, as they say in the schoolyard, Heard on the Hill JOSH