H.R. 8212

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8212 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8212

To require Foreign Service officers to complete certain science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics training, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 9, 2026

Mr. Baird introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require Foreign Service officers to complete certain science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics training, and for other 
purposes.

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 ``Tech Diplomacy Training Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO COMPLETE CERTAIN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, 
ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS TRAINING.

Section 708 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4028) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(f) STEM Training.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of State, acting through 
the Director of the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs 
Training Center, shall establish and conduct training on--
``(A) matters related to science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics, including--
``(i) artificial intelligence;
``(ii) next generation communications;
``(iii) technological advancements made in 
different geographic regions;
``(iv) how such topics affect diplomacy; 
and
``(v) any other training with respect to 
such matters that such secretary determines 
critical to the Foreign Service;
``(B) how the United States may utilize emerging 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
matters as a tool of diplomacy; and
``(C) how United States adversaries and national 
security threats, as identified in the National 
Security Strategy most recently published by the 
President on the date on which such training is 
conducted, utilize technology--
``(i) to undermine United States diplomacy; 
and
``(ii) when engaging in diplomacy.
``(2) Condensed training.--The Secretary of State, acting 
through the Director of the George P. Shultz National Foreign 
Affairs Training Center, shall establish a condensed training 
curriculum on the matters described in paragraph (1).
``(3) Required training.--
``(A) In general.--The training described under 
paragraph (1) shall be included in the A-100 course 
attended by each Foreign Service officer.
``(B) Existing officers.--With respect to an 
officer serving in the Foreign Service on the date of 
the enactment of the Tech Diplomacy Training Act and 
who has completed the A-100 course--
``(i) the training described under 
paragraph (1) shall be completed not later than 
18 months after such date of enactment; or
``(ii) the training described under 
paragraph (2) shall be completed not later than 
270 days after such date of enactment.
``(4) Relation to existing training.--The training required 
by this subsection shall be in addition to and conducted 
separate from each other training required to be completed by a 
Foreign Service officer.''.
<all>