S 4642 United States Senate · 119th Congress

Foreign Service Workforce Retention Act

The Foreign Service Workforce Retention Act amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to improve the reappointment process for career members who retire or leave the service. Under the new rules, former career members have a five-year window to request reappointment, and the Department of State must approve and process these requests within 180 days. Additionally, the law requires the Secretary of State to submit annual reports to Congress detailing how many individuals were recalled, their previous and current ranks, and their positions. These changes directly affect retired Foreign Service officers by providing a clearer path to return to their roles while increasing transparency through mandatory reporting.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced May 21, 2026 Last action May 21, 2026
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2
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Committee
1
May 21, 2026
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
upper
May 21, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

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