State Department Integrity and Transparency Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4719
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- International Affairs
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-26T20:58:26Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation aims to strengthen the qualifications, transparency, and nonpartisan nature of senior State Department appointments by requiring enhanced disclosures for nominees to chief of mission and assistant secretary positions, mandating professional experience thresholds, and limiting certain temporary overseas appointments.
Key Provisions
- Sense of Congress: Emphasizes the need for detailed foreign policy knowledge and experience among senior officials to advance U.S. national security and compete with nations like China.
- Hiring Requirement: Amends existing law to require that at least 75 percent of Assistant Secretaries have served in the Senior Foreign Service or Senior Executive Service.
- Disclosure Requirements: Expands reports on nominee competence to cover language proficiency, knowledge of the host country's history, culture, economics, politics, and any relevant business interests.
- Campaign Finance Disclosures: Requires reporting of bundled contributions and contributions from the nominee and immediate family members (spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings, and their spouses).
- Certification: Mandates presidential certification to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that nominees meet qualifications and that contributions played no role in the nomination.
- Public Availability: Requires reports and Certificates of Competency to be posted on a public State Department website.
- Limits on Special Appointments: Caps overseas special appointments (including Schedule B and C positions) at 90 days, with no more than one such position per individual per calendar year, effective January 1, 2029.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Updates the State Department Basic Authorities Act to add the 75 percent professional experience rule and restrict temporary appointments.
- Modifies the Foreign Service Act to broaden disclosure obligations for both chiefs of mission and assistant secretaries, include family contributions, and require public posting.
- Introduces new certification and limitation provisions not present in prior statutes.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases administrative workload for the State Department and Senate Foreign Relations Committee in vetting and reporting; may slow some appointments while promoting career professionals.
- Citizens: Enhances public access to information on nominee backgrounds and contributions, potentially improving accountability in foreign policy roles.
- International Relations: Could result in more experienced ambassadors but limit short-term overseas postings, affecting diplomatic flexibility.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Nominees for chief of mission and assistant secretary positions.
- Career Foreign Service and Senior Executive Service officers.
- Political appointees and their immediate family members.
- The President and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
- The Department of State as an agency.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Reinforces Senate oversight of appointments while adding requirements for presidential certifications, potentially affecting the balance of appointment powers.
- Introduces explicit restrictions on political contributions influencing nominations, which could raise questions about enforcement and scope.
- The delayed effective date for appointment limits allows time for implementation but signals a shift toward reducing short-term political placements overseas.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- 2026-06-09: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- State Department Integrity and Transparency Act — issued 2026-06-09 — PDF (7 pages)