{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-sullivan-van-hollen-foreign-service-families-act", "Senate Passes Sullivan-Van Hollen \u201cForeign Service Families Act\u201d", "2021-12-16", "2021", "2021-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), co-founders of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Service Caucus, announced the passage of their Foreign Service Families Act yesterday as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation will help ensure that the Foreign Service is able to attract and retain a world-class diplomatic corps by providing expanded career options and services to eligible family members. For many of these family members, the process of finding employment isn\u2019t easy\u2014frequent moves, language barriers, and limited options pose significant challenges. The legislation will address those issues in order for the Foreign Service to continue to serve the best interests of Americans at home and abroad. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) are also original cosponsors of the Foreign Service Families Act.\n\n\u201cOur country relies on Foreign Service officers to engage with governments, businesses and individuals around the world, all with the aim of promoting America\u2019s interests, strengthening our national security, and assisting U.S. citizens,\u201d said Sen.Sullivan. \u201cTwo ways we can better support our Foreign Service officers is to prioritize their access to State Department opportunities at the conclusion of their service, and also expand private sector employment opportunities for the family members of officers where they serve. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for moving us one step closer to providing that support and for recognizing the exemplary service of this crucial diplomatic corps.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s Foreign Service is vital to maintaining and advancing American diplomacy around the world. But for Foreign Service families, overseas postings often come with hardships for family members that can take a lasting toll. That's why I\u2019m proud that today \u2013 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act \u2013 the Senate passed our bipartisan Foreign Service Families Act, to help expand employment opportunities for Foreign Service spouses and ensure in-state tuition benefits for students to help these families succeed and strengthen our Foreign Service across the board. We provide these benefits to military families and this same support should be extended to Foreign Service families serving our country,\u201d said Sen. Van Hollen.\n\n\u201cInitiatives like the Foreign Service Families Act help attract and retain our nation\u2019s top talent in the Foreign Service ranks,\u201d said Ambassador Eric Rubin, president of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), upon introduction. \u201cAFSA strongly supports this effort to ensure that our diplomats and their families are afforded all possible consideration, much like our military counterparts.\u201d\n\n\u201cAAFSW (Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide) whole-heartedly supports this bill,\u201d said AAFSW President Lara Center upon introduction. \u201cAs an organization which has advocated for spouses since our creation in 1960, we believe this bill will contribute greatly to Foreign Service morale and effectiveness.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe American Academy of Diplomacy supports the bill, noting that the legislation will help the State Department attract and retain the best personnel overseas where family well-being is critically important to the employees,\u201d said the American Academy of Diplomacy upon introduction.\n\nThe Foreign Service Families Act would provide authority to the State Department to offer the same services to Foreign Service family members that the Defense Department is permitted to provide to military families. This includes:\n\nExpanded hiring authority for qualified family members;\n\nEnsuring that Foreign Services family members receive notice of State Department vacancies and that those who apply receive consideration; and\n\nMaking space available in State Department facilities for outside entities to provide career services.\n\nAdditionally, the legislation:\n\nProvides in-state tuition rates to members of the Foreign Service, their spouses, and dependent children;\n\nExtends provisions of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to the Foreign Service, allowing members of the Foreign Service who are posted overseas to terminate residential and motor leases and telephone service contracts;\n\nSupports the expansion of telecommuting opportunities for Foreign Service family members, so that family members can continue to work federal civilian jobs while overseas;\n\nEnsures that family members in the Expanded Professional Associates Program, which offers career opportunities for family members with advanced education and professional experience, are not held to unfair hiring standards; and\n\nEnsures that the State Department has fully implemented the Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps, a program intended to speed hiring and improve clearance portability for Foreign Service family members.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"]], "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://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-sullivan-van-hollen-foreign-service-families-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9567830711603165, "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"}