Ranking Member Shaheen, Senators Van Hollen, Schumer, Colleagues Press Secretary Rubio on Delay in Onboarding of Diplomats into U.S. Foreign Service

WASHINGTON - Yesterday, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding their concerns with the State Department's indefinite delay in onboarding Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows into the U.S. Foreign Service. Having completed either of these two highly competitive fellowships, these Americans are well-equipped with the skills and expertise to be effective foreign service officers - but over 50 fellows have yet to be invited to complete their formal onboarding. In their letter, the Senators stress that this delay risks wasting millions of taxpayer dollars that have been invested in the fellows, impacting our diplomatic capacity and jeopardizing future recruitment efforts needed to maintain a well-functioning diplomatic corps in the long term.

"We write with deep concern regarding the State Department's indefinite delay in onboarding Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows into the U.S. Foreign Service. This delay in onboarding mission-ready fellows undermines U.S. diplomatic readiness, wastes congressionally appropriated taxpayer dollars, and directly harms these outstanding Americans while simultaneously discouraging future talent from applying to the Foreign Service. We urge you to include all eligible Pickering and Rangel fellows in the remaining A-100 orientation classes of 2026, provide an explanation for this indefinite onboarding delay, and clarify the situation for future cohorts of public servants," the Senators began.

"As you know, the Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellowships are the State Department's "flagship initiatives for recruiting top-tier talent" for the U.S. Foreign Service. The fellowships have an annual acceptance rate of under 5% and fellows are selected from all over the country, collectively representing the best and breadth of our nation," they continued. "The longer these ready-to-serve fellows are delayed in their onboarding the more we compromise our national security interests, diplomatic capacity, and leadership on the world stage.

"We request that you include all remaining eligible Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows in the remaining A-100 orientation classes of 2026. There are 50+ fellows ready and waiting to serve the United States in the Foreign Service. Taxpayers have invested millions of dollars in these diplomats. Now, you must let the State Department reap the benefits," they wrote, going on to list the following questions for Secretary Rubio's response regarding the delay in onboarding:

• How many Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows from the 2023 and deferred 2022 cohorts remain in the onboarding pipeline?
  
  
  • How many fellows have been onboarded from these cohorts at the time of response to this letter?
    
    
• What is the reason for the delay in onboarding Pickering and Rangel fellows?
  
  
  • What criteria is being used to determine which fellows are selected for immediate onboarding?
    
    
• Please outline the steps the State Department will take to better manage these fellowships to prevent delays for future cohorts.
  
  
• Contractually, Pickering and Rangel Fellows may be subjected to a reimbursement obligation to the United States Government if they are unable to fulfill the obligations of the fellowships. Are fellows subjected to this reimbursement obligation if they are not able to complete the fellowship obligations due to State Department delays and through no fault of the fellows themselves?
  
  
  • How much in congressionally appropriated taxpayer dollars would be wasted if fellows are unable to complete the fellowship obligations due to State Department delays and through no fault of the fellows themselves?
    
    
• How many Pickering and Rangel fellows have served and are currently serving in the U.S. Foreign Service?
  
  

The full text of the letter is available here.

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