Enhancing the preparedness of Assistant Secretaries of State and Chiefs of Mission

(a) Hiring requirement Section 1(c)(1) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a(c)(1)) is amended— (1) by inserting, United States Code after title 5; and (2) by adding at the end the following: Not fewer than 75 percent of the Assistant Secretaries in the Department of State shall have served in the Senior Foreign Service or the Senior Executive Service.. (b) Disclosure requirements Section 304(a)(4) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3944(a)(4)) is amended— (1) by inserting or as an assistant secretary after chief of mission; and (2) by adding at the end the following: Each report on the demonstrated competence of a nominee shall explain the source and extent of such nominee’s knowledge of the principal language or dialect of the country, region, or institution, as applicable, in which the nominee has been nominated to serve as chief of mission or assistant secretary and the manner and extent to which such nominee meets the criteria described in paragraph (1), particularly with respect to the source and extent of such individual’s knowledge and understanding of the history, culture, economics, politics, and interests of the people of such country, region, or institution and any relevant business interests such nominee has in such country, region, or institution..