{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6478", "Lawler Applauds Passage of Bill to Modernize U.S. Foreign Service", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Michael Lawler", "L000599", "lawler.house.gov", "lawler", "https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 9/16/26\u2026 Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) released the following statement after his bill, H.R. 9086, the Foreign Service Modernization Act, passed the House by voice vote.\n\nThis legislation will improve the operations and effectiveness of America\u2019s diplomatic corps as they work to advance U.S. interests abroad.\n\nWATCH: CONGRESSMAN LAWLER DEBATES ON HOUSE FLOOR IN FAVOR OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE MODERNIZATION ACT\n\nThe Foreign Service Modernization Act marks the first comprehensive review of the Foreign Service Act since it was signed into law in 1980.\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s diplomats are on the front lines of advancing our interests and protecting our national security around the world. But for more than four decades, their processes and scope have not evolved with the geopolitical landscape. This legislation will give our diplomats the tools, resources, and support they need to meet the challenges of the 21st century. I\u2019m proud to see this important legislation pass the House, and I look forward to working to get it across the finish line in the Senate,\u201d said Congressman Lawler.\n\nThe legislation includes several reforms to improve how the State Department recruits and trains diplomats, including measures that would:\n\nProvide Ambassadors with increased authority and oversight in carrying out US foreign policy at their posts overseas,\n\nCreate a pilot program for a Diplomatic Reserve Corps, modeling the reserve functions of the armed services, that would surge diplomats to the front lines in response to emergencies and crises abroad,\n\nEnhance expeditionary diplomacy in austere posts to advance American interests outside of the confines of embassy walls,\n\nAlign State Department human resources, technology, and training to meet modern national security demands, and\n\nIncrease pathways for military veterans to join the Foreign Service.\n\nCongressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6478"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1519649997353554, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}