Washington, DC -- Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concern over the State Department’s mismanagement of key fellowship programs critical to recruiting and retaining the next generation of America’s foreign policy workforce. In the letter, Meeks highlights ongoing problems affecting the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program, Foreign Affairs Information Technology Fellowship (FAIT), William D. Clarke Sr. Diplomatic Security Fellowship, Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship, and Veterans Innovation Partnership Fellowship (VIP). The programs have long served as pipelines for diverse, highly qualified public servants.
The recently signed National Defense Authorization Act included language from Ranking Member Meeks reauthorizing the Pickering, Rangel, Payne, and VIP fellowships. Meeks’ letter questions why, despite clear congressional authorization, the Department continues to introduce uncertainty, delays, and changes that threaten the integrity and viability of these fellowships.
Read the letter in full here. An excerpt is below.
“Confusion around the fate of these programs and the firing of staff who manage them threatens to erode confidence in federal hiring pathways and weakens America’s long-term diplomatic capacity. Congress recently authorized the Pickering, Rangel, Payne, and VIP fellowships on a bipartisan basis in the National Defense Authorization Act, signaling continued support from Congress for these vital programs. These fellowships are not peripheral initiatives—they are essential national security programs that sustain America’s diplomatic readiness and bolster our credibility abroad...
“The State Department congressional notification that was transmitted to Congress in May about your proposed reorganization did not indicate any significant change to these fellowship programs or the office that administers them. Yet, your reduction-in-force (RIF) carried out in July included terminating the dedicated public servants in Global Talent Management’s Recruitment Office who administered these fellowships. These changes have led to severe consequences. Graduate school funding for tuition and stipends have been disrupted, internship placements have been delayed, and the onboarding timelines for incoming Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) have been thrown into uncertainty. Additionally, Pickering and Rangel Fellows are being told to retake the Foreign Service Officer Test, which they have previously passed. These actions potentially breach the written agreements between the Department and the fellows regarding their academic requirements and their onboarding into the State Department.
“Further, there appears to have been little to no transition planning before these changes went into effect. The staff who managed these programs before their separation were required to undergo training and be certified to administer the funds for these programs. Now, it is my understanding that these responsibilities are being carried out by contractors. This raises questions on whether the fellowship programs are being carried out in potential violation of federal requirements that limit certain types of work to full-time federal employees as well as those who possess the necessary financial management certification. The Department’s actions could jeopardize multimillion-dollar cooperative agreements, merit-system protections, and contractual service obligations owed to the U.S. government.”
The recently signed National Defense Authorization Act included language from Ranking Member Meeks reauthorizing the Pickering, Rangel, Payne, and VIP fellowships. Meeks’ letter questions why, despite clear congressional authorization, the Department continues to introduce uncertainty, delays, and changes that threaten the integrity and viability of these fellowships.
Read the letter in full here. An excerpt is below.
“Confusion around the fate of these programs and the firing of staff who manage them threatens to erode confidence in federal hiring pathways and weakens America’s long-term diplomatic capacity. Congress recently authorized the Pickering, Rangel, Payne, and VIP fellowships on a bipartisan basis in the National Defense Authorization Act, signaling continued support from Congress for these vital programs. These fellowships are not peripheral initiatives—they are essential national security programs that sustain America’s diplomatic readiness and bolster our credibility abroad...
“The State Department congressional notification that was transmitted to Congress in May about your proposed reorganization did not indicate any significant change to these fellowship programs or the office that administers them. Yet, your reduction-in-force (RIF) carried out in July included terminating the dedicated public servants in Global Talent Management’s Recruitment Office who administered these fellowships. These changes have led to severe consequences. Graduate school funding for tuition and stipends have been disrupted, internship placements have been delayed, and the onboarding timelines for incoming Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) have been thrown into uncertainty. Additionally, Pickering and Rangel Fellows are being told to retake the Foreign Service Officer Test, which they have previously passed. These actions potentially breach the written agreements between the Department and the fellows regarding their academic requirements and their onboarding into the State Department.
“Further, there appears to have been little to no transition planning before these changes went into effect. The staff who managed these programs before their separation were required to undergo training and be certified to administer the funds for these programs. Now, it is my understanding that these responsibilities are being carried out by contractors. This raises questions on whether the fellowship programs are being carried out in potential violation of federal requirements that limit certain types of work to full-time federal employees as well as those who possess the necessary financial management certification. The Department’s actions could jeopardize multimillion-dollar cooperative agreements, merit-system protections, and contractual service obligations owed to the U.S. government.”