{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://olszewski.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-olszewski-bills-strengthen-americas-diplomatic-workforce", "House Passes Olszewski Bills to Strengthen America\u2019s Diplomatic Workforce", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "MD", "Johnny Olszewski, Jr.", "O000176", "olszewski.house.gov", "olszewski", "https://olszewski.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "The Foreign Service Language Readiness Act, introduced with Congressman Michael Baumgartner (R-WA), will require the State Department to maintain an up-to-date list of critical foreign languages tied to national security priorities and improve workforce planning around language proficiency and training. The Open Doors to Diplomacy Act, introduced with Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), will strengthen State Department recruitment and outreach at community colleges, junior colleges, career and technical institutions, and other nontraditional institutions of higher education.\n\nThe bills\u2014included in the broader Foreign Service Modernization Act\u2014will now move to the U.S. Senate. Together, they address two critical pieces of America\u2019s diplomatic readiness: ensuring the Foreign Service has the expertise it needs and making sure it can recruit the talent it needs.\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s diplomatic strength depends on having the right people, with the right skills, ready to serve wherever our national security interests demand it,\u201d said Congressman Olszewski. \u201cThat means investing in critical language capabilities, planning ahead for emerging threats, and making sure talented Americans from every corner of our country see themselves in a career in the Foreign Service. I\u2019m proud these bipartisan bills are moving forward as part of a broader effort to modernize our diplomatic workforce and give our diplomats the tools they need to keep America safe.\u201d\n\nThe Foreign Service Language Readiness Act would:\n\nRequire the State Department to develop and regularly update a list of critical foreign languages based on national security priorities;\n\nEstablish clear proficiency standards for positions requiring critical language expertise;\n\nBetter align language training, career development, and assignments with mission-critical workforce needs; and\n\nImprove the Department\u2019s ability to surge qualified, language-capable personnel during international crises.\n\n\u201cLanguage proficiency isn't a luxury \u2014 it\u2019s a national security necessity,\u201d Congressman Olszewski said when the legislation was introduced. \u201cWhether responding to conflict, countering strategic competitors, or protecting Americans abroad, our diplomats need the expertise to understand the countries where they serve and communicate effectively with the people there.\u201d\n\nThe Open Doors to Diplomacy Act would expand State Department outreach and recruitment efforts at nontraditional institutions of higher education, including community colleges, junior colleges, and career and technical institutions. It would also broaden eligibility for certain Foreign Service internship opportunities and expand digital and hybrid recruitment efforts.\n\n\u201cAmerica needs a Foreign Service that can draw on the full depth of talent our country has to offer,\u201d Congressman Olszewski said. \u201cToo many talented Americans may never consider a career in diplomacy simply because they have limited exposure to the opportunities available to them. We should be opening doors to public service, not narrowing the pipeline.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"]], "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://olszewski.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-olszewski-bills-strengthen-americas-diplomatic-workforce"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4133686199784279, "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"}