U.S. Representatives Peter Meijer (R-MI) and Sara Jacobs (D-CA), members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today introduced legislation that would modernize and reform the U.S. Department of State to address the numerous growing challenges to U.S. diplomacy in the 21st Century. Senators Bill Haggerty (R-TN) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) previously introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
The bipartisan bill would establish a commission that would examine how the U.S. State Department can better modernize its objective to advance U.S. interests given the changing nature of diplomacy and development abroad. The commission would offer comprehensive recommendations to reform the State Department, including organizational structure, personnel-related matters, global diplomatic footprint, and the role of the Department in the formulation and implementation of foreign policy. Members of the commission would be appointed by House and Senate leadership from both parties, by the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and by the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“The State Department is an essential component in the United States’ role abroad, but unfortunately, the Department has remained unchanged for decades, hindering its ability to meet the evolving needs of the U.S. diplomatic strategy,” said Rep. Meijer. “This commission will provide the necessary input and insight to both modernize and strengthen the Department. I am grateful to my colleagues in the Senate and to my colleague on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Jacobs, for their work on this bicameral, bipartisan approach to ensure the U.S. remains a leader in diplomacy.”
“The State Department is invaluable to America’s leadership around the world: our ability to advance our interests and our security, support our allies, and prevent conflict around the world. As the world changes, we need to make sure the State Department changes with it; yet, we haven’t reformed the institution in decades, leaving us unable to adequately anticipate and address crises,” said Congresswoman Jacobs. “Our bipartisan legislation will be an important first step in investigating our diplomatic corps, protecting our national security, and empowering the State Department to address the challenges of the future, not the past.”
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