To prohibit the Executive branch from engaging in any reorganization of the Department of State without congressional consultation and approval.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMs. Kamlager-Dove (for herself, Mr. Meeks, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Jacobs, …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Defending American Diplomacy Act prevents the Executive branch from reorganizing or downsizing the Department of State without first getting approval from Congress. It requires the Secretary of State to submit detailed plans to congressional committees before any changes can take effect, and imposes financial penalties if these requirements are violated.
Who Benefits and How
State Department employees and career diplomats benefit from job protections and stability, as any reorganization must include transition plans and cannot violate employee rights. Congressional oversight committees (Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, and Appropriations) gain significant control over Executive branch decisions about diplomatic operations. U.S. foreign policy interests are protected through required impact assessments before any changes can be made.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Executive branch faces new constraints on its ability to restructure federal agencies, requiring congressional approval for changes that previously could be made unilaterally. The Department of State must prepare extensive documentation justifying any proposed changes, including workforce impact analyses and risk assessments. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) faces potential funding cuts if reorganization rules are violated, and politically appointed State Department officials face travel restrictions as a penalty for non-compliance.
Key Provisions
- Prohibits any State Department reorganization unless Congress passes specific legislation authorizing it AND the Secretary submits a detailed plan to Congress
- Requires reorganization plans to include impact assessments on diplomatic operations, visa processing, intelligence gathering, and relationships with allies
- Mandates workforce transition plans that protect employee rights and provide for compensation of any terminated workers
- Cuts off federal funding to the Department of Government Efficiency if the Comptroller General certifies non-compliance
- Restricts official travel by political appointees at State Department as an additional penalty for violations
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
The bill aims to prevent the Executive branch from reorganizing the Department of State without congressional consultation and approval, ensuring that any changes are thoroughly evaluated for their impact on diplomatic functions, personnel, and foreign policy interests.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of State
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
The House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations, as well as the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Appropriations.
Any action that would require prior consultation and notification under section 7063 of division F of Public Law 118-47.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology