22 U.S.C. § 3943: Appointments by the Secretary

The Secretary may appoint the members of the Service (other than the members of the Service who are in the personnel categories specified in section 3942(a) of this title ) in accordance with this chapter and such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe. It is the sense of Congress that the Foreign Service [of the United States] should permit mid-career entry into the Foreign Service for qualified individuals who are willing to bring their outstanding talents and experiences to the work of the Foreign Service. targets mid-career individuals from the civil service and private sector who have skills and experience that would be extremely valuable to the Foreign Service; is in full comportment with current Foreign Service intake procedures, including the requirement to pass the Foreign Service exam; offers participants in such pilot program placement in the Foreign Service at a grade level higher than FS–4 if such placement is warranted by the education and qualifying experience of such individuals; requires only one directed assignment in a position appropriate to such pilot program participant’s grade level; includes, as part of the required initial training, a class or module that specifically prepares participants in such pilot program for life in the Foreign Service, including conveying to such participants essential elements of the practical knowledge that is normally acquired during a Foreign Service officer’s initial assignments[;] includes an annual assessment of the progress of such pilot program by a review board consisting of Department [of State] officials with appropriate expertise, including employees of the Foreign Service, in order to evaluate such pilot program’s success; does not include the use of Foreign Service-Limited or other noncareer Foreign Service hiring authorities; and includes not fewer than 30 participants for each year of the pilot program. The cumulative number of accepted and unaccepted applicants to such pilot program. The cumulative number of pilot program participants placed into each Foreign Service cone. The grade level at which each pilot program participant entered the Foreign Service. Information about the first assignment to which each pilot program participant was directed. the operation of such pilot program to date; and any observations and lessons learned about such pilot program that the Secretary considers relevant. collect and maintain data on the career progression of each pilot program participant for the length of each participant’s Foreign Service career; and make the data described in paragraph (1) available to the appropriate congressional committees upon request. certifying that progress is being made on implementation of the pilot program and describing such progress, including the date on which applicants will be able to apply; estimating the date by which the pilot program will be fully implemented; [and] outlining how the Department will use the Lateral Entry Program to fill needed skill sets in key areas such as cyberspace, emerging technologies, economic statecraft, multilateral diplomacy, and data and other sciences.” After September 30, 1990 , no national of a Communist country may be employed as a foreign national employee in any area of a United States diplomatic or consular facility in any Communist country where classified materials are maintained. As used in this section, the term ‘Communist country’ means a country listed in section 620(f) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [ 22 U.S.C. 2370(f) ]. The Congress expresses its willingness to provide additional funds to the Department of State for the expenses of employing United States nationals to replace the individuals dismissed by reason of subsection (a). a feasibility study of the implementation of this section; and an analysis of the impact of the implementation of this section on the budget of the Department of State; and a request for funds necessary for the implementation of this section pursuant to the findings and conclusions specified in the report under paragraph (1). if funds are not specifically authorized and appropriated to carry out this section; or the President determines that it is in the national security interest of the United States to continue to employ foreign service nationals. To the maximum extent practicable, citizens of the Soviet Union shall not be employed as foreign national employees at United States diplomatic or consular missions in the Soviet Union after September 30, 1986 . Should the President determine that the implementation of subsection (a) poses undue practical or administrative difficulties, he is requested to submit a report to the Congress describing the number and type of Soviet foreign national employees he wishes to retain at or in proximity to United States diplomatic and consular posts in the Soviet Union, the anticipated duration of their continued employment, the reasons for their continued employment, and the risks associated with the retention of these employees.”