Kim bill to modernize State Department passed by House

Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) to streamline and improve reporting requirements at the State Department was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on May 18 as part of a larger bill.

Rep. Kim’s H.R. 1244, a bipartisan bill she introduced in February with cosponsor U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), would eliminate duplicative and outdated reporting requirements for State Department employees and encourage the State Department to modernize and expand foreign service officer training programs.

The bill was passed by the House as part of the Department of State Authorization Act of 2021, H.R. 1157, which was sponsored by U.S. Reps. Gregory Meeks, (D-NY) and Michael McCaul (R-TX). The measure next moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

“We must ensure our State Department personnel are prepared to meet 21st Century global challenges and carry out our nation’s foreign policy objectives. Today, the House came together to do just that,” Rep. Kim said on Tuesday.

The congresswoman also had a second amendment pass as part of H.R. 1157, one that would direct the State Department to modernize and expand foreign service officer training programs for its employees to achieve parity with other federal agencies and the private sector.

“I’m proud to have my bill to streamline and improve State Department reporting requirements included as an amendment in this bill as well as an initiative to ensure employees are growing their skillset to meet today’s dynamic missions, said Rep. Kim, a member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.