The U.S. Foreign Service at 100: Opportunities and Threats
6/20/2024 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST
Event Description
Please note this is a hybrid event - you have the option to attend in person or virtually. There is no charge for this public forum but registrations are required for all attendees.
Join DACOR, the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University, and the American Academy of Diplomacy for a public forum to mark the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Foreign Service. The forum will include a discussion of recent steps to garner support in Congress for constructive reforms affecting the U.S. State Department. Recent policy shop proposals that many in the foreign affairs community see as posing a threat to national security and the effective implementation of American foreign policy will also be explored.
The opening session will review the history of Congressional actions over the past century that have resulted in major workforce reforms, beginning with the Foreign Service Act of 1924. Often referred to as the Rogers Act, it merged the United States diplomatic and consular services into the modern United States Foreign Service, replacing the prevailing spoils system and culture of cronyism with a merit and talent-based professional service.
The second session will examine the major State Department reform opportunities unveiled in recent years, including “A U.S. Diplomatic Service for the 21st Century,” the 2020 report compiled by the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center and authored by Ambassadors Nicholas Burns, Marc Grossman and Marcie Ries and more recent modernization proposals.
The third and final session will focus on recent policy shop proposals that pose a significant threat to U.S. national security and the State Department’s ability to deliver professional, non-partisan, and effective diplomacy. A panel of scholars and diplomacy practitioners will assess the impact of recent proposals, including the “Schedule F” policy that many fear would politicize the diplomatic service. This session will conclude with a moderated Q&A.
The event will be followed by a Happy Hour at the DACOR Bacon House, 1801 F St, NW.
The Elliott School has a public parking garage at the corner of 19th and E Sts, NW.
