Diplomatic Reserve Corps Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8167 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8167 To amend the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to establish a Diplomatic Reserve Corps. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 30, 2026 Ms. Titus (for herself and Mr. Baumgartner) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to establish a Diplomatic Reserve Corps. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Diplomatic Reserve Corps Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. DIPLOMATIC RESERVE CORPS. Title I of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``CHAPTER 14--DIPLOMATIC RESERVE CORPS ``Subchapter I--Diplomatic Reserve Corps ``SEC. 1401. DIPLOMATIC RESERVE CORPS. ``(a) In General.--There is in the Department of State a Diplomatic Reserve Corps. ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Diplomatic Reserve Corps is to assist the Secretary of State, the Department of State, and the Foreign Service in the discharge of their responsibilities and functions as authorized by law through the maintenance of a reserve of trained personnel available for active service when the needs of the Secretary, the Department, or the Service so require. ``(c) Nature of Corps.-- ``(1) In general.--The Diplomatic Reserve Corps is an independent personnel system within the Department of State. ``(2) Not an element of the foreign service.--The Diplomatic Reserve Corps is not a component or other element of the Foreign Service. Members of the Diplomatic Reserve Corps, whether or not on active service, are not members of the Foreign Service. ``SEC. 1402