Senate Democrats of the Foreign Relations Committee are seeking answers from state secretary Marco Rubio on the shootout of thousands of State Department employees of Trump Administration within a week, increasing the alarm that arbitrary retrenching is expecting significant expertise and talent.
Panel’s Democrats sent a letter to Rubio on Friday, as the state department started Issuing notice that reduction in force (RIF) will be affected by about 1,100 civil service employees and 250 foreign service officers.
“RIFs should remain a tool of the final resort, and if implemented, must be conducted according to long-lasting procedures that prefer a qualification-based procedure for both transparency and career civil service employees and Foreign Service Officers (FSO),” MPs wrote,
“During the time of rapid complex and comprehensive dissemination challenges for American national security, this administration should strengthen our diplomatic core-not weakening it as an irreparable means of American power and leadership.”
The letter was led by the ranking member of Sen Kori Booker (DN.J.) and Sen Jean Shaheen (DN.H.), Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Also signing a Democratic sensor. Chris Cons (del.), Chis Murphy (Con.), Tim Cin (Wa.), Jeff Mercale (Ore.), Brian Shutz (Hawaii), Chris Van Holen (MD.), Tami Duckworth (Sick) and Jackie Rosen (Neo).
The letter was also sent to the Director of the Management Office of the White House and the Budget of the White House. MPs sought reactions till 18 July.
In the letter, senators indicate concerns that FSO and civil service employees are being placed on the basis of working in bureau or offices, which are being abolished, and it is not in mind that employees rotate positions in the State Department, transfer their experience and expertise to various fields.
The list of 18 questions included sorting for the future and the demand to explain the logic behind the plans.
“It can take years of training for an FSO or civil servant to master diplomatic and interaction skills, including to receive flow in important languages. Why are skilled officers, including special language skills, not being revalved? MPs asked.
“How many empty FSO posts will be there after the process of RIF? How does the mission plan to fill important positions?” They continued.
“If the goal is to reduce waste, fraud, and misuse restructuring, then why is the department efficiently not allowing these experienced civil service employees to transfer to vacant posts later which they were elected on merit?” They pressed.
Rubio, a former Republican Senator for Florida, served in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for 16 years before joining the Trump administration. Shatz pressed Rubio on his agency’s failure to respond to the Congress’s inquiry, during a hearing of a foreign relationship in May.
“My employees have sent 200 unanswered questions … Consultation is not a courtesy, it is necessary by law … In addition to radio silence, you are very sensitive,” Shatz said, criticizing the agency failed to engage with his employees.
This story was updated at 4:36 pm
