The Foreign Service Journal, December 2018

10 DECEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL A MESSAGE FROM THE HILL Working Together for a Smart Foreign Policy BY SENATOR CHR I S COONS ll too often, discussions about American power around the world tend to focus on howmuch money we spend on things like aircraft carriers and fighter jets. While our military might is an undeniably important part of our strength, U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance are just as essential to American influence abroad. When used wisely, all three of those pillars—diplo- macy, development and defense—keep Americans safe, advance our interests and make the world a far better place. What Diplomats Do I suspect this won’t surprise the readers of The Foreign Service Journal. Indeed, Foreign Service officers are one of the most important reasons why I have faith in this approach. During my visits over- seas as a senator, I have been consistently impressed by the professionalism, dedica- tion and creativity of our Foreign Service. Whether in Vienna negotiating nuclear accords or in Juba helping refugees, ser- ving both Republican and Democratic administrations, our Foreign Service officers are promoting American values, ensuring our security and helping the world’s neediest live their lives with dignity. To the members of the U.S. Foreign Service: I have seen your work up close many times. I remember walking the visa line at Embassy New Delhi and being struck by the huge workload of our consular officers. I recall visiting refugee camps in Jordan and Uganda and internally displaced persons settlements in northeastern Nigeria, overwhelmed by the needs of those fleeing violence. But I was also immensely proud that our diplomats from State and USAID were doing all they could to provide life-saving assistance. During a visit to Ukraine, I was particularly impressed by the work of U.S. Embassy Kyiv’s political section to revamp the police force and root out corruption. That kind of on-the-ground, knee-deep in the details work reminded me of my time serving in local govern- ment in my home county in Delaware. I recognize your work is not always easy. I have been troubled by accounts of low morale at the State Department, a development that is concerning given how skilled and capable each of you are. We will not be successful in meeting our challenges on the world stage unless Foreign Service officers and Civil Service members at the State Department play the central leadership role in inform- ing and crafting our country’s foreign policy. The State Department should be the agency that drives the agenda and adds the most value to the formulation of American foreign policy. Needed Tools and Authorities As a senator and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Committee on Appropria- tions, it is my duty to ensure that the State Department and USAID have the budget, authorities and tools to do their jobs. That is why I have been working with a bipartisan group of senators to maintain adequate and necessary fund- ing to foreign assistance and operations. That is why I supported the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanc- tions Act, to give the State Department the authorities to push back on Russian meddling in the 2016 election and its aggressive actions overseas. I also co-sponsored the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act of 2018, or BUILD Act, recently signed into law. I see this legislation as part of my job to continu- ally make sure the executive branch has the right tools to keep up with our modern world and take advantage of all of America’s assets. If you are not yet familiar with it, the BUILD Act creates a new mechanism, Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Committee on Appropriations, where he is a member of the subcommittee that appropriates funds for the State Department and USAID. A