22 U.S.C. § 2719c — Facilitation and encouragement of train-

Page 1161 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 2720 electricity, receive specific instruction on United States policy with respect to resiliency and adaptation to such climatic and non-cli- matic shocks and stresses. (Pub. L. 117–81, div. E, title LI, § 5108(c), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2349; Pub. L. 117–263, div. I, title XCII, § 9205(c), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3865.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2022—Pub. L. 117–263 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to prioritization of for- eign affairs training by the Department of State. § 2719c. Facilitation and encouragement of train- ing and professional development for For- eign Service and Civil Service personnel (a) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that recognition throughout the Department of the value and im- portance of training and professional develop- ment for Foreign Service and Civil Service per- sonnel is vital to the development and mainte- nance by such personnel of the skills and exper- tise required for the Department to contribute fully and effectively to the conduct of the for- eign affairs of the United States. (b) Study and report (1) In general The Secretary, in consultation with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, shall con- duct a study of the feasibility and cost of es- tablishing a diplomatic officers’ reserve corps or similar mechanism to augment the Depart- ment’s personnel needs at any level on a tem- porary or permanent basis. (2) Elements In conducting the study required under para- graph (1), the Secretary shall consider whether the diplomatic officers’ reserve corps should be modeled on the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps established under chapter 103 of title 10 to encourage the recruitment and retention of personnel who have the critical language skills necessary to meet the require- ments of the Foreign Service by providing fi- nancial assistance to students studying crit- ical languages at institutions of higher edu- cation. (3) Report Not later than 1 year after December 23, 2022, the Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that contains the results of the study con- ducted pursuant to paragraph (1). (c) Training and development in promotion pre- cepts and evaluation criteria (1) Foreign Service The Secretary shall take appropriate action to ensure accountability and transparency in the evaluation of the precepts described in sec- tion 4003 of this title upon which the selection boards established pursuant to section 4002 of this title make recommendations for the pro- motion of members of the Foreign Service under section 4001 of this title by affording equal consideration to the undertaking of training, professional development, and for- eign language acquisition and retention among any other objective criteria considered by selection boards in making such rec- ommendations. (2) Civil Service The Secretary shall take appropriate action to ensure that the performance standards for any job performance appraisal system for Civil Service personnel of the Department afford equal consideration to the undertaking of training, professional development, and for- eign language acquisition and retention among any other objective criteria in the eval- uation of the job performance of such per- sonnel. (d) Response to subordinate training and devel- opment needs in evaluation of supervisor performance (1) Foreign Service The Secretary shall take appropriate action to ensure that the evaluation of precepts for recommendations for promotion described in subsection (c)(1) for members of the Foreign Service in supervisory positions incorporates the extent to which such members appro- priately address the training and professional development needs of the personnel under their supervision. (2) Civil Service The Secretary shall take appropriate action to ensure that the performance standards de- scribed in subsection (c)(2) for Civil Service personnel of the Department in supervisory positions afford appropriate weight to address- ing the training and professional development needs of the personnel under their supervision. (Pub. L. 117–263, div. I, title XCII, § 9206, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3871.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries DEFINITIONS For definitions of ‘‘Department’’, ‘‘Secretary’’, and ‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ as used in this section, see section 9002 of Pub. L. 117–263, set out as a note under section 2651 of this title. § 2720. Closing of consular and diplomatic posts abroad (a) Prohibited uses of funds Except as provided under subsection (d) or in accordance with the procedures under sub- sections (b) and (c) of this section— (1) no funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State shall be available to pay any expense related to the closing of any United States consular or diplomatic post abroad; and (2) no funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State may be used to pay for any expense related to the Bureau of Ad- ministration of the Department of State (or to carrying out any of its functions) if any United States consular or diplomatic post is closed. (b) Post closing notification Not less than 45 days before the closing of any United States consular or diplomatic post