# The EXCEL Act: Building U.S. Expertise on China

This bill is designed to help the U.S. government hire and train more experts who understand China and can help shape American policy toward it. The core idea is straightforward: Congress believes the government doesn't have enough people with deep knowledge of Chinese language, culture, and politics, and this is a problem that needs fixing.

The bill gives the State Department special hiring powers to bring in at least 31 new employees over the next two years who have expertise relevant to understanding China and competing with it strategically. Normally, government hiring follows strict rules about testing and competitive processes, but this bill lets the State Department skip those procedures to quickly recruit people with specific China expertise—whether that's language skills, knowledge of Chinese politics, or understanding of how the Chinese government operates. These new hires would work as regular government employees, and this special hiring authority would last for ten years before expiring.

Beyond just hiring new people, the bill also requires the State Department to train existing Foreign Service and civil service employees who work on China-related issues. This training would cover topics like China's policy goals, the methods it uses to achieve them, and the role of ideology in Chinese Communist Party decision-making. The State Department can bring in outside experts and consultants to help with this training, using contracts and grants to pay for specialized knowledge.

The bill also creates a new advisory board called the China Strategic Advisory Board, made up of 18 to 24 outside experts (not current government employees) who would advise the State Department on China strategy. These advisors would review how the government recruits and retains China experts, provide guidance on anti-China programs, and brief Congress twice a year on their findings. The board would include a mix of perspectives—business leaders, former diplomats, and younger professionals—to ensure diverse viewpoints. Finally, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study whether the State Department and USAID have enough staff with the right skills to compete with China, and to recommend solutions within one, five, and ten-year timeframes.

EXCEL Act

Bera, Ami

Expand eXpertise in China Education and Language Act or the EXCEL Act This bill requires various actions to address competition with China. The Department of State must use direct hire authority to appoint at least 31 candidates with China-related linguistic, cultural, or regional expertise to positions in the competitive service. The bill requires the State Department to train certain employees on topics such as the domestic and foreign policy objectives of China and the Chinese Communist Party. Additionally, the bill establishes a China strategic advisory board and requires the Government Accountability Office to study the personnel capacity and capability of the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to support strategic competition with China.