Sense of Congress regarding a professional and nonpartisan Department of State

It is the sense of Congress that— (1) detailed knowledge and requisite experience formulating and executing United States foreign policy, including having a working understanding of Department of State operations and procedures, is vital for Chiefs of Mission, Assistant Secretaries of State, and other senior officials at the Department of State— (A) to successfully advance United States national security; and (B) for managing the Federal workforce in order to effectively assert and expand United States competitiveness and leadership abroad; (2) the People’s Republic of China and other competitor nations are rapidly expanding their global diplomatic presences; and (3) it is imperative that the Department of State is appropriately staffed by empowered, nonpartisan foreign policy professionals and thoroughly qualified and vetted political appointees, who work together to protect United States citizens and advance United States foreign policy interests.