Diplomatic Reserve Corps Pilot Program Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9165 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9165

        To establish the Diplomatic Reserve Corps Pilot Program.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2026

 Ms. Titus (for herself and Mr. Baumgartner) introduced the following 
      bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
        To establish the Diplomatic Reserve Corps Pilot Program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Diplomatic Reserve Corps Pilot 
Program Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. DIPLOMATIC RESERVE CORPS PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than nine months after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall establish a 
Diplomatic Reserve Corps Pilot Program (in this section referred to as 
the ``Pilot Program'') in the Department of State to assess the 
feasibility and effectiveness of maintaining a reserve cadre of trained 
personnel available for temporary active service in support of foreign 
affairs contingencies.
    (b) Purpose.--The Pilot Program shall--
            (1) provide a surge workforce to support diplomatic 
        operations during crises, evacuations, armed conflicts, natural 
        disasters, and other contingencies affecting United States 
        interests abroad;
            (2) assess recruitment, training, readiness, deployment, 
        and retention requirements for a permanent Diplomatic Reserve 
        Corps; and
            (3) identify authorities, resources, and organizational 
        structures necessary to sustain such a corps.
    (c) Membership.--The Secretary of State may appoint to the Pilot 
Program retired members of the Foreign Service.
    (d) Initial Strength.--The Secretary of State shall recruit and 
maintain not fewer than 250 members in the Pilot Program during the 
first year of the Pilot Program and may increase membership by up to 
250 additional members annually for the following three fiscal years.
    (e) Reserve Corps Structure.--Of the members of the Pilot Program 
appointed by the Secretary of State pursuant to subsection (c)--
            (1) not more than 30 percent shall be appointed at ranks 
        equivalent to salary class 1 and salary class 2 of the Foreign 
        Service schedule; and
            (2) those not appointed at ranks equivalent to salary class 
        1 and salary class 2 of the Foreign Service schedule shall be 
        appointed at ranks equivalent to salary class 3 and salary 
        class 4 of the Foreign Service schedule.
    (f) Training.--Members of the Pilot Program shall complete such 
orientation, security, medical, and readiness training as the Secretary 
of State determines appropriate, including training conducted through 
the National Foreign Affairs Training Center, the Foreign Affairs 
Security Training Center, and other Department of State facilities.
    (g) Activation.--The Secretary of State may activate members of the 
Pilot Program for temporary service in support of diplomatic 
operations, crisis response, evacuation efforts, disaster response, 
consular surge requirements, or other foreign affairs contingencies.
    (h) Evaluation.--The Secretary of State shall establish readiness 
standards and conduct annual evaluations of the training status and 
availability for deployment of each member of the Pilot Program.
    (i) Initial Plan to Congress.--Not later than six months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit 
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report detailing the 
Secretary's plans and timeline to establish, structure, and implement 
the Pilot Program.
    (j) Final Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than three years after the 
        establishment of the Pilot Program, the Secretary of State 
        shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
        of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
        the Senate a report evaluating the Pilot Program and providing 
        recommendations regarding establishment of a permanent 
        Diplomatic Reserve Corps.
            (2) Matters to be included.--The report required by 
        paragraph (1) shall additionally include an assessment on 
        expanding eligible appointment to the Diplomatic Reserve Corps 
        to--
                    (A) retired Civil Service employees of the 
                Department of State;
                    (B) retired employees of other Federal agencies 
                possessing relevant skills and experience; and
                    (C) qualified individuals from outside the Federal 
                Government possessing critical language, regional, 
                technical, medical, security, consular, management, or 
                diplomatic expertise.
    (k) Termination.--The Pilot Program shall terminate on the date 
that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, unless 
reauthorized by Congress.
                                 <all>