S.Amdt. 2949

SA 2949. Mr. SCHATZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle D of title XII, add the following:

SEC. 1248. REPORT ON PACIFIC ISLANDS EMBASSY STAFFING.

(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the
Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources
shall--
(1) submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations
of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate,
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives that describes plans for addressing
staffing needs at United States embassies in Pacific Island
countries; and

[[Page S4486]]

(2) provide a briefing to the congressional committees
listed in paragraph (1), which shall include--
(A) a discussion of the contents of the report submitted
pursuant to paragraph (1); and
(B) nonfinancial incentives for Foreign Service officers
serving at United States embassies in Pacific Island
countries, including opportunities such as Mission-specific
training.
(b) Contents.--The report required under subsection (a)
shall include--
(1) steps to implement the findings of the Foreign Service
officer allowances study required under section 5302 of the
National Defense Authorization Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-
81) to provide incentives for Foreign Service officers to
serve in Pacific Island countries, including--
(A) hardship and danger pay;
(B) the opportunity to provide one-grade stretches before
stretch season and allow bidding on Pacific Island country
posts on the early assignment cycle;
(C) eligibility to receive student loan repayments;
(D) incentive pay to extend tours at Pacific Island country
posts;
(E) additional recreation entitlements;
(F) priority consideration for onward assignments;
(G) opportunities to serve repeated tours in the same
region to develop expertise while aiding career advancement;
and
(H) consideration of United States embassies in Pacific
Island countries for Special Incentive Post (SIP) designation
eligibility;
(2) the status of the virtual schooling pilot program
undertaken by the Office of Overseas Schools and other
programs to support the dependents and spouses of diplomats
stationed at Pacific Island country posts;
(3) current administrative requirements, including
reporting requirements, required for embassies in Pacific
Island countries and proposals for how to lower the
administrative burden on small embassies; and
(4) any additional measures and financial and nonfinancial
incentives to encourage Foreign Service officers to seek
assignments to, and remain at, hardship posts in countries
where addressing growing and malign foreign government
influence is especially critical to United States interests,
especially at new posts in remote locations, such as the
United States embassies in the Kingdom of Tonga, the Solomon
Islands, and the Republic of Vanuatu.
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