Strengthening economic expertise at the Department of State

(a) Office directors and deputy directors Notwithstanding the requirements of section 501 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3981), the positions of Office Director and Deputy Office Director, as well as special assistant positions, under the purview of the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, shall generally be filled by civil service officers. (b) Implementation The Secretary is authorized to take such steps as may be necessary to phase-in the requirement under subsection (a) over the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. (c) Exceptions The Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment may approve the appointment of a Foreign Service officer to an Office Director or a Deputy Office Director position if— (1) the individual has the requisite expertise, as determined by the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment; and (2) in the 5-year period following the date of the enactment of this Act, not more than one-third of all Office Director and Deputy Office Director positions under the purview of the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment are filled by Foreign Service officers. (d) Direct hire authority (1) In general The Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment may appoint, without regard to the provisions of sections 3309 through 3318 of title 5, United States Code, candidates directly to positions in the competitive service, as defined in section 2102 of that title. (2) Termination Except with respect to the Office of the Chief Economist, the authority provided under paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date that is 4 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. (e) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that contains plans to attract and retain economic, policy, legal, and technical expertise for civil service officers in the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, including career promotion tracks to supervisory and non-supervisory GS-15 positions.

(a) Office directors and deputy directors Notwithstanding the requirements of section 501 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3981), the positions of Office Director and Deputy Office Director, as well as special assistant positions, under the purview of the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, shall generally be filled by civil service officers. (b) Implementation The Secretary is authorized to take such steps as may be necessary to phase-in the requirement under subsection (a) over the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. (c) Exceptions The Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment may approve the appointment of a Foreign Service officer to an Office Director or a Deputy Office Director position if— (1) the individual has the requisite expertise, as determined by the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment; and (2) in the 5-year period following the date of the enactment of this Act, not more than one-third of all Office Director and Deputy Office Director positions under the purview of the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment are filled by Foreign Service officers. (d) Direct hire authority (1) In general The Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment may appoint, without regard to the provisions of sections 3309 through 3318 of title 5, United States Code, candidates directly to positions in the competitive service, as defined in section 2102 of that title. (2) Termination Except with respect to the Office of the Chief Economist, the authority provided under paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date that is 4 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. (e) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that contains plans to attract and retain economic, policy, legal, and technical expertise for civil service officers in the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, including career promotion tracks to supervisory and non-supervisory GS-15 positions.