22 U.S.C. § 3922a: Representation of minorities and women in Foreign Service

The head of each agency utilizing the Foreign Service personnel system shall develop, consistent with section 7201 of title 5 , a plan designed to increase significantly the number of members of minority groups and women in the Foreign Service in that agency. Each plan developed pursuant to this section shall, consistent with section 7201 of title 5 , place particular emphasis on achieving significant increases in the numbers of minority group members and women who are in the mid-levels of the Foreign Service. It is the purpose of this section to promote the acquisition and retention of highly qualified, trained, and experienced women and minority personnel within the Foreign Service, to provide the maximum opportunity for the Foreign Service to meet staffing needs and to acquire the services of experienced and talented women and minority personnel, and to help alleviate the impact of downsizing, reduction-in-force, and budget restrictions occurring in the defense and national security-related agencies of the United States. For each of the fiscal years 1994 and 1995, the Secretary of State shall to the maximum extent practicable appoint to the Foreign Service qualified women and minority applicants who are participants in the priority placement program of the Department of Defense, the Department of Defense out-placement referral program, the Office of Personnel Management Automated Applicant Referral System, or the Office of Personnel Management Interagency Placement Program. The Secretary shall make such appointments through the mid-level entry program of the Department of State under section 306 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [ 22 U.S.C. 3946 ]. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [ Apr. 30, 1994 ], the Secretary of State shall prepare and submit a report concerning the implementation of subsection (a) to the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Such report shall include recommendations on methods to improve implementation of the purpose of this section.” to recruit and retain members of minority groups in order to increase significantly the number of members of minority groups in the Foreign Service; and to provide adequate career advancement for women and members of minority groups in order to increase significantly the numbers of women and members of minority groups in the senior levels of the Foreign Service. shall substantially increase their efforts to implement effectively the plans required by section 152(a) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987 [ 22 U.S.C. 3922a(a) ], so that the Foreign Service becomes truly representative of the American people throughout all levels of the Foreign Service; and shall ensure that those plans effectively address the need to promote increased numbers of qualified women and members of minority groups into the senior levels of the Foreign Service. a report on the progress made at the Assistant Secretary and Bureau level of the Department of State in increasing the presence of minorities and women at all levels in the Foreign Service and Civil Service workforces of the Department of State, and the specific actions taken to address the lack of Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans in the Senior Executive Service and Senior Foreign Service of the Department of State.”