This bill was introduced in the Senate and is currently being reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Relations. It is in the early stages of the lawmaking process and no further actions are scheduled at this time. The bill is considered active as it waits for the committee to decide on its next steps.
Legislative Progress
Senate
House
President
Law
Unlikely to pass
While this bill addresses government staffing needs, it currently lacks Republican cosponsors and most bills of this type struggle to move forward without broad bipartisan support.
Key Points
This bill makes it easier for people who left the Foreign Service to come back to their jobs. Currently, the rules mostly focus on retired workers, but this change would include people who resigned or left for other reasons.
If a former worker wants to return within five years of leaving, they can skip some of the usual hurdles for new hires. This helps the government quickly bring back experienced staff who already know how the system works.
Once a request to return is approved, the State Department must put the person back to work within 180 days. They will also be treated as full members when it comes time to pick their next assignment.
The government will have to track how many people come back this way and report those numbers to Congress every year. This ensures the program is actually helping to keep talented people in the workforce.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
May 21, 2026Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
May 21, 2026
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
