The Foreign Service Journal, September 2005

6 AFSA NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2005 F ewAmericans realize that one of the critical battles in the War on Terror is being fought in the halls of Congress. The ForeignRelationsAuthori- zationAct (S. 600) provides critical support for the diplomatic efforts that are key to our national security. However, unless something drastic occurs, the Senate is unlikely to consider this important piece of legislation. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act authorizes: • Key changes in personnel rules; • Programs to maintain and protect diplomats serving overseas; • Tools of diplomacy, such as public diplomacy, foreign assistance and the development of reconstruction and stabilization activities in regions of conflict; • Foreign policy directives and strate- gies from Congress; and • Operating funds for diplomatic agencies. There are some in Washington who believe that the Foreign Relations bill is irrelevant. They couldnot bemorewrong. In our increasingly globalized world, diplomacy is not an international nicety; it is a national-security necessity. As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stat- ed in her swearing-in speech, “We must use American diplomacy to help create a balance of power that favors freedom. The time for diplomacy is now.” In order for diplomacy to succeed, the U.S. needs sufficient money, manpower, equipment, programs, training and poli- cies for the diplomatic component of the national-security system. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act is the only vehicle that can authorize the resources we need. As a result, Senate consideration and passage of this bill is critical to the promo- tion of U.S. national security interests. Though the Foreign Relations Authorization Act is important for all Americans, the consideration and passage of this bill should be especially important to the members of the Foreign Service. Beyond the provisions for operating funds, embassy security programs and information technology investments, there are also a number of personnel pro- visions within the House and Senate authorization bills that directly benefit Foreign Service employees. The autho- rization bill authorizes pay parity between overseas salaries andD.C.-level pay; high- er ceilings for hardship and danger allowances; an increased death gratuity; additional living quarters and allowances for service at the United StatesMission to the U.N.; worldwide availability lan- guage; allowance changes so children of Foreign Service employees can be educat- ed in theU.S.; part-time, intermediate and temporary (PIT) regulation time require- ments for retirement benefits; and reduc- tion of themandatory low-ranking quota from 5 to 2 percent. AFSAhasworkeddiligently to get these personnel provisions into the authoriza- tion legislation, andhadnever beforemade such progress on issues such as Washington-level salaries for all Foreign Service employees overseas. Obtaining locality pay is still our number one job! TheHouse passed the legislation, but if the Senate does not consider and pass the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, the personnel provisions will die along with the bill. The AFSA team is in regular con- tact with congressional staff andmembers of Congress regarding the authorization bills, but we cannot succeed without the help of the members of the Foreign Service. The Foreign Relations Authori- zation Act should be right up there with the many other important issues the Senatemust consid- er. Your senator and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R- Tenn., need to know the importance of the Foreign Relations AuthorizationAct to the American people and to the 25,000 active and retired members of the Foreign Service. Please write and tell them. In the Congressional Rela- tions portionof theAFSAWeb site (www.afsa.org/congress. cfm), we have included writ- ing points and a sample letter, so that active and retired members, their friends and their relatives canwrite to Sen. Frist asking him to bring the bill to the Senate floor for debate and a vote. As a reminder, all gov- ernment employeesmust clarify that they are writing in their personal capacity, and cannot use government letterhead, equip- ment or official time to write. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act is critical to U.S. national security. Additionally, key personnel provisions such as pay paritymake this act evenmore important to the Foreign Service. AFSA hopes that with the help and support of the members of the Foreign Service, the United States Senate will bring the ForeignRelations AuthorizationAct to the Senate floor for consideration and passage of this important bill. r HELP AFSA CONVINCE THE SENATE TO TAKE UP S. 600 Fighting for Diplomacy & Locality Pay BY ERICA LALLY AND KEN NAKAMURA JOSH