WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Yvette Herrell (R-NM) has introduced the Veteran Recruitment Act of 2022, which prioritizes hiring veterans of the United States Armed Forces for positions within diplomatic, defense, intelligence, and security agencies of the federal government, particularly the State Department.
Rep. Herrell's bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX) and Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) and has been endorsed by the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans service organization.
"America's veterans have unique talents, perspective, and experience that Washington desperately needs, but too often ignores," said Rep. Herrell. "My Veteran Recruitment Act will make it easier for these dedicated men and women to be hired for leadership roles in our diplomatic, defense, and intelligence agencies. I am grateful for the support of the American Legion for this legislation and I will continue to fight for our veterans in Congress."
The Veteran Recruitment Act of 2022 would require the Secretary of State to:
- Send a report to the President providing a detailed plan for prioritizing the recruitment and hiring of veterans of the United States Armed Forces into Foreign Service and civil service positions pertaining to leadership, management, and policy roles within the Department of State. The report would create a comprehensive proposal that must then be fully implemented within one year of its submission to the President.
- Identify and eliminate explicit and implicit barriers in the Department of State's Foreign Service and civil service recruitment and hiring practices, including barriers in existing digital and non-digital recruitment materials.
- Identify and adjust Foreign Service training and management standards to align with those of other Federal defense, intelligence, and security agencies, to include implementation of rigorous and selective training courses for newly hired recruits.
- Identify and initiate specific steps that the Department of State will take to ensure that physically disabled veterans have equal access to the Department of State's Foreign Service and civil service positions.