THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2026 65 AFSA NEWS End-of-Year Advocacy Update In the House of Representatives, the Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) has been focusing on Foreign Service Act reform. Anticipating this effort, AFSA used findings from its State of the Foreign Service in 2025 survey and previous surveys to identify priorities, with a central goal of preserving the foundational elements that make the Foreign Service and its workforce a distinctive and effective instrument of U.S. statecraft. AFSA also worked with members of Congress throughout the year to introduce several of our priorities through stand-alone legislation. During this process, AFSA has emphasized that meaningful reform requires resources to implement new policies and programs. A major development came on June 2 with the introduction of the Foreign Service Modernization Act (HR 9086), the centerpiece of the House’s Foreign Service Act reform effort and a significant compromise from both sides of the aisle. On June 9, HFAC considered and reported out HR 9086 alongside other legislation affecting Foreign Service personnel. Senate Foreign Relations Committee leaders pursued reform through a Fiscal Year 2027 Department of State Authorization Act, submitted as an amendment to the Senate’s FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). On September 16, the House passed HR 9086 by voice vote. The bill largely reflects the text HFAC reported out on June 9, but it omits the section that would have preserved Foreign Service members’ state residency for purposes such as income and personal property taxes while serving abroad or in another state under official orders. The removal was expect- ed, since the provision is a tax policy change outside HFAC’s jurisdiction, and AFSA will continue to advocate for this protection. The bill retains several provisions AFSA supports, including protections for employees who take external training or detail assignments, a 12-month deadline for hiring decisions for Foreign Service fellows after they complete their educational requirements, and measures to prevent unnecessary delays in sending promotion and tenure lists to Congress. As of early September 2026, however, the Senate had not formally considered its version of the NDAA or adopted the manager’s package containing the latest State Department authorization legislation. AFSA communicated its support for provisions that would strengthen the workforce while raising concerns about those it believes could harm employees’ careers or the institution in both efforts. We will continue to emphasize these points over the coming months. AFSA expects provisions from both the Senate authorization bill and the House’s Foreign Service Modernization Act to be considered for inclusion in the final FY27 NDAA. Bipartisan amendments contained in HR 9087, which amends HR 9086, are also expected to be part of negotiations. Still, the path forward remains uncertain. Consideration of the final FY27 NDAA is unlikely before the lame-duck session following the 2026 midterm elections. Tensions surrounding the war with Iran have brought additional scrutiny to the NDAA, while the unpredictable nature of lame-duck sessions could affect the legislation’s ultimate outcome. AFSA’s advocacy team reviewed these congressional efforts in a series of member town halls in August. We’ll have a full readout on outcomes in late 2026 or early 2027. AFSA’s advocacy efforts also delivered meaningful results at the state level over the past year, advancing policies that directly benefit Foreign Service members, retirees, and their families. In Minnesota, AFSA- supported legislation secured a full state income tax exemption for Foreign Service retirement income. Florida enacted new homestead tax protections allowing eligible Foreign Service families serving overseas to maintain their residency benefits, while Maryland codified federal provisions allowing Foreign Service members and their spouses to use valid out-of-state professional licenses when relocating to another state on official assignments. These successes build on AFSA’s ongoing state advocacy and relationships with legislators across the country. In 2027 AFSA will continue pursuing opportunities for Foreign Service pension tax exemptions and other policies that recognize and support the unique needs of the Foreign Service community. n —Kim Greenplate, director of congressional advocacy, and Sean O’Gorman, advocacy and policy manager AFSA’s advocacy efforts also delivered meaningful results at the state level over the past year.
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