The Foreign Service Journal, November 2021

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2021 17 50 Years Ago On Understanding Congress— The View from the Hill R elations have rarely been smooth between Congress and the State Department and various reasons have been advanced to explain this difficulty. ... What may be the most important single cause of friction has, to my knowledge, been overlooked. It is the simple fact that politicians and diplomats are quite different human beings. In train- ing, background and professional temperament, one could say they are almost exact opposites. Politicians seek public exposure. It’s their natural element—the source of their existence. They are also activists and seem to relish the tug and pull of argument and debate. ... By contrast, a diplomat is schooled in the advantages of anonymity, taught to curb his passion and to maintain his reserve. While there are many excep- tions to the “diplomatic” style, the natural bias of the profession encourages a kind of “poker face” syndrome. One’s utterances should always be understated and one’s movements ever cautious. … The success of a diplomat is measured by his ability to work quietly, patiently, behind the scenes, seeking to reconcile differences and resolve con- flicts. Political misfires are easily forgotten. In diplomacy they can be fatal. Is it any wonder then that we have problems understanding each other? —FSOWilliam Shinn Jr., from his article by the same title in the FSJ , November 1971. CDC: Vaccinations Required for IV Applicants E ffective Oct. 1, COVID-19 vaccinations are required for all age-appropriate applicants for U.S. immigrant visas. The new instructions come from the Cen- ters for Disease Control and Prevention and apply to persons who are seeking to adjust their immigration status from within the United States, as well as those applying for an immigrant visa at U.S. consulates worldwide. According to the CDC guidance, immigrant visa applicants must present evidence of completing the entire vaccine series. Approved versions of the vaccine include those manufactured by Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. Specific blanket waivers exist for various circumstances. The United States Citizen- ship and Immigration Services determines whether the waiver will be granted. The CDC is responsible for ensuring that noncitizens entering the U.S. do not have health conditions that would pose a threat to public health. Some Stalled Nominees Move Forward W hile the sluggish pace of Senate confirmations for critical diplo- matic positions has raised concerns over the Biden administration’s ability to con- duct foreign policy, there are signs that the logjammay break. Senate majority leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) moved on Sept. 23 to advance seven of the senior State Depart- ment nominees on hold, compelling the legislative body to hold roll call votes late into the evening. Although none were con- sidered controversial, some senators had vowed to block nominees tomake a point over disagreements with the White House. “An alarming number of posts essential for our national security remain vacant because a handful of Republicans have decided to hijack the confirmation pro- cess and put a hold on not just a few but on many critical nominees,” Schumer stated, promising more such moves. By a 72-14 vote, the Senate confirmed Daniel Kritenbrink’s nomination to serve as assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Progress was also made on the nominations of five other assistant secretaries of State for Europe and Eurasia, Africa, political- military affairs, international narcotics and law enforcement, and oceans and international environmental affairs. By early October, there were close to 100 diplomatic and development nomi- nations before the Senate, 24 of which were ready for a floor vote. For a complete list of ambassadorial nominations, visit afsa.org/list-ambassa dorial-appointments, and track appoint- ments of senior-level officials at the vari- ous foreign affairs agencies at afsa.org/ tracker-senior-official-appointments. AFSA continues to call for an expedi- tious nomination and confirmation process for key diplomatic posts. n This edition of Talking Points was compiled by Cameron Woodworth and Julia Wohlers.