The Foreign Service Journal, September 2004

Turn It Off in D.C. On July 1, using a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving in the District of Columbia became illegal. The penalty is a fine of $100 and a point on the driver’s record. The law applies to all drivers in the city, regardless of place of residence. The language of the bill can be found at the D.C. Council’s Web site: http://www.dccouncil.washington. dc.us/images/00001/20030110124412 .pdf BOOKFAIR Opens Oct. 15 For months, volunteers have been preparing for the 44th Annual BOOKFAIR of the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide. BOOKFAIR opens on Friday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall at Main State. Employees and their escorted guests, and retirees and their spouses, are cordially invited. During the week, fromOct. 18 through 22, this same group of people will be admitted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. BOOKFAIR is open to the general public on two weekends: Oct. 16-17 and Oct. 23-24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Some items are marked down to half-price on the final day of the fair. VISA, MasterCard and checks are accepted. Questions? Please call: (202) 223 5796. Position with FSYF The Foreign Service Youth Foundation is seeking a Foreign Service Teen Community Service Program Director in the Washington, D.C., area. The pro- gram director develops, implements and oversees monthly Foreign Service teen community service events in the Northern Virginia area. The salary is $20 to $25 per hour for five to seven hours per week. Hours are flexible, but the candidate must be available on some weekends and afternoons. Please contact FSYF Executive Director Melanie Newhouse at fsyf@fsyf.org for a full job description. ▫ 8 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2004 A FSA has been persistent in its attempts to help bring the State Department authorization bill to conference. Although theHousepassed its versionof the bill,H.R. 1950, inMay 2003, the Senate’s S. 2144 has still not been con- sideredon the floor. Despite the bill’s non- controversial nature, as well as Senator Lugar and Senator Biden’s strong support, approaching elections and increasedpoliticiza- tion resulted in the sus- pensionof this key piece of legislation. AFSA responded by voicing its disap- pointment over the Senate’s inaction. In late June,AFSAlaunchedanextensivepress campaign in an attempt to publicize the importance of the bill, which contains sig- nificant provisions for the ForeignService. Because of limited floor time, however, the Senate did not vote on S. 2144. AFSAwill continue to seek passage of the provisions important to the Foreign Service. Appropriations TheDefenseAppropriations billmade itsway rapidly through theHouse and the Senate. The bill was reported out of con- ference on July 22. It included$95million in humanitarian aid for Sudan and $685 million for EmbassyBaghdad ($665.3mil- lion for diplomacy andconsular programs, and$20million for embassy construction). Appropriations for the Commerce- Justice-State bill, however, were still under way as of this writing in late July. The bill was passedby theHouse in early Julywith anappropriationof $8.4billion for theState Department, a 5.3 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2004 appropriations. Although this amount is $121.4 million below the administration’s request, it does allow for 110newpositions invisaadjudication, pub- lic diplomacy, and anticipated staffing requirements for Sudan, Libya and Haiti. The request for worldwide security pro- grams has beenmet at $1.5 billion, allow- ing for71newdiplomatic securitypositions. There was good news for the increasingly important public diplomacy function: the House appropriated $319 million for public diplomacy, $10 million above request. The bill also funds a new Office of Stabilization andRecon- struction and continues to support the concept of “rightsizing.” AFSA expects the Senate will take up CJS appropriations when Congress returns from recess in September. Comparability Pay AFSApersists inseeking toeliminate the pay disparity between the Foreign Service abroad and in the U.S. Overseas (non- Senior) personnel currently donot receive the 15-percent increase in salary that per- sonnel at home earn in the form of local- ity pay. The Senior Foreign Service pay scale, however, was switched to a pay-for- performance system in January to rectify this problem, ineffect creating a two-tiered ForeignService abroad. As a result, diplo- matic readiness and morale have been undermined. AFSA is consultingwith the State Department and others to resolve these discrepancies anddevelop anaccept- able salary program. Retiree Issues AFSA supports the repeal of the Windfall EliminationProvisionandreform of the Government Pension Offset, both ofwhich reduce Social Securitybenefits for some FSRDS annuitants. AFSA also con- tinues to monitor legislation regarding Premium Conversion and Prescription Drug Parities. ▫ AFSA NEWS BRIEFS Continued from page 2 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Going Nowhere Fast: State Authorization Bill BY VICTORIA SPROW, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS INTERN AFSA has responded by voicing its disappointment over the Senate’s inaction.