# Plain Language Summary: Represent America Abroad Act of 2021

This bill aims to make America's diplomatic workforce—the people who represent the United States at embassies and international agencies around the world—more diverse and reflective of the American population. Right now, the State Department and USAID (the international development agency) have workforces where racial and ethnic minorities make up only about 24-27 percent of employees overall, and just 13-17 percent at the highest leadership levels. The bill says this is a problem because when America's diplomats don't look like America, it undermines the country's ability to represent its values and interests effectively on the world stage.

The bill creates a new program called the "Represent America Mid-Career Foreign Service Entry Program" that would recruit experienced professionals from minority backgrounds directly into mid-level diplomatic positions. Instead of requiring everyone to start at the bottom and wait nine years to reach mid-level ranks, this program would let qualified mid-career professionals from underrepresented groups enter the Foreign Service at higher levels. To qualify, candidates would need things like a bachelor's degree plus eight years of work experience, or a master's degree plus seven years of experience, in relevant fields like international relations, policy, or languages. The program would include special training to prepare these professionals for diplomatic life and provide mentorship to help them succeed.

The bill requires the State Department to actively recruit through diverse channels—community organizations, historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, professional associations, and other minority-serving schools. It also sets a goal that at least 50 percent of program participants each year should actually be hired into the Foreign Service. The State Department would have to report annually to Congress on how many people joined the program, their backgrounds, how many stayed in their positions, and whether the program is actually increasing diversity at mid-career and senior levels. Essentially, this bill is designed to create a faster pathway for experienced professionals from underrepresented groups to join America's diplomatic corps.

Represent America Abroad Act of 2021

Bass, Karen

Represent America Abroad Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to establish the Represent America Mid-Career Foreign Service Entry Program to increase diversity in the Foreign Service by recruiting mid-career professionals who are from minority groups. As part of the program, the State Department shall (1) establish and publish eligibility criteria for participation; (2) carry out recruitment efforts to attract highly qualified, mid-career professionals from minority groups; and (3) include appropriate mentorship and other career development opportunities for program participants. The State Department must submit an annual report on the status of the program.