3 FAM 1400
ARRANGEMENTS FOR SENIOR AND PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEES
3 FAM 1410
ARRANGEMENTS FOR PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEES
(CT:PER-986; 05-11-2020)
(Office of Origin: GTM/CDA)
3 FAM 1411 LEGAL AND REGULATORY AUTHORITY
(CT:PER-674; 04-27-2012)
The authorities underlying the arrangements made for Presidential appointees include the following:
(1) Sections 302(a), 304 and 401(b) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980; and
(2) Section 502 of Public Law 92-353 (2 U.S.C. 194a).
3 FAM 1412 RESPONSIBILITY
3 FAM 1412.1 Secretary of State
(CT:PER-674; 04-27-2012)
Recommendations for Presidential nominations and appointments under the jurisdiction of the Department of State are made by memorandum from the Secretary of State to the President. These recommendations for nominations and appointments include not only ambassadors and principal officers of the Department, but also top-level positions in the United Nations, the international American system, and other international commissions, organizations, and conferences where a request for a U.S. Presidential appointment is required.
3 FAM 1412.2 Under Secretary for Management
(CT:PER-674; 04-27-2012)
The Under Secretary for Management has responsibility for ensuring the Secretary and the Deputy Secretaries that:
(1) Appropriate consultations and clearances within the Department of State, including the Office of Inspector General (OIG), have been completed before selectee recommendations are forwarded for approval;
(2) Formal security, Department ethics, and medical clearances (if appropriate) are obtained once a selection is made and White House approval has been received;
(3) If appropriate, agrément of the host state or international organization has been obtained; and
(4) Appropriate consultation, including agreement of the host state or international organization, has been completed and the proposed recommendations are in order.
3 FAM 1412.3 Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Global Talent (DGTM)
(CT:PER-986; 05-11-2020)
a. The Director General shares responsibility with the Under Secretary for Management for ensuring that the items listed in 3 FAM 1412.2 are completed. The Senior Level Division (GTM/CDA/SL) and the Presidential Appointments Staff (GTM/PAS) in the Bureau of Global Talent Management carry out the completion of these items, under the Director General’s authority.
b. In addition, the Director General has general responsibility for ensuring that effective procedures are established and followed in implementing the briefing program for chiefs of mission, including the 2-week Ambassadorial Seminar conducted by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI).
3 FAM 1412.4 Assistant Secretaries: Briefings and Consultations
(CT:PER-986; 05-11-2020)
a. For new ambassadorial selectees, briefings and consultations are restricted to the Department of State until an official White House announcement has been made. Once the White House announcement has been released, these briefings can be expanded to other U.S. Government entities. Briefings and consultations outside of the U.S. Government cannot take place until after Senate confirmation.
b. Responsibility for briefing and assisting the newly appointed or returning chief of mission is assigned to the Assistant Secretary of the bureau concerned, who may, in turn, delegate to the appropriate bureau officer the planning and execution of substantive and administrative briefing, debriefing, and consultation schedules on a departmental and government-wide basis. Bureaus should ensure that new chiefs of mission attend the 2-week Ambassadorial Seminar organized by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI).
c. During the consultation period, bureaus should ensure that new chiefs of mission consult with appropriate officials from each agency other than the Department of State that:
(1) Assigns or will assign employees to positions that will fall under the new chief of mission’s authority at post; or
(2) Oversees or will oversee projects or programs that will fall under the new chief of mission’s authority at post.
d. Requests for appointments with the President, the Secretary, the Deputy Secretaries, Under Secretaries, and the Assistant Secretaries are submitted by memorandums through normal channels. Appointments with other officials are requested by communications with offices as indicated.
e. A list of the principal officers concerned with envoy briefings and consultation is provided by the Presidential Appointments Staff (GTM/PAS).
f. The period of consultation in the Department prior to departure for post, and during home leave, may be extended to permit a chief of mission to carry out the briefing and debriefing.
3 FAM 1413 AMBASSADORIAL NOMINEE MATERIALS
(CT:PER-674; 04-27-2012)
a. The senior desk officer will make the following documents available to a new ambassadorial nominee provided that he or she has the appropriate security clearance:
(1) The current post report;
(2) Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit, security and intelligence oversight, and inspection and compliance reports;
(3) Organizational material on the Department;
(4) Intelligence material;
(5) Copies of pertinent mission cable traffic;
(6) Such basic documentation, both legislative and executive, as may be available in the Department for assistance in the form of reports, manuals, or publications; and
(7) Biographic material on prominent figures of the country or organization to which assigned.
b. The bureau executive director will provide complete briefing material on administrative matters.
c. Incumbent chiefs of mission, while on consultation in the Department, will receive copies of current telegrams to and from their mission.
3 FAM 1414 LANGUAGE PREPARATION
(CT:PER-674; 04-27-2012)
a. The Department prefers to have chiefs of mission acquire minimum language and area training, prior to departure, to foreign areas where they have not previously served. The Foreign Service Institute provides language training and area studies. It is desirable that during language training the envoy be free from operational duties in order to ensure that he or she has the opportunity to participate in a controlled and supervised program that is free from interruption.
b. For the chief of mission who already has substantive knowledge of the language of the post, refresher training, if desired, may be arranged on an ad hoc basis.
c. Eligible family members are urged, whenever possible, to undertake language training by the Foreign Service Institute.
3 FAM 1415 BRIEFINGS FOR ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBERS
(CT:PER-986; 05-11-2020)
a. The schedule of briefings for a chief of mission includes scheduling of briefings for spouses or domestic partners as defined in 3 FAM 1610, so that they may also make careful preparation for assignments abroad. The Foreign Service Institute and the regional bureau will provide briefings on the following:
(1) Government organization;
(2) Current foreign policy;
(3) Post problems;
(4) The nature and character of the country where assigned, and its people; and
(5) The embassy, the residence, and the staff.
b. Spouses and domestic partners as defined in 3 FAM 1610 are encouraged to attend, along with the new ambassador, the 2-week Ambassadorial Seminar organized by the Foreign Service Institute.
c. The Family Liaison Office (GTM/FLO) seeks to establish continuing relationships with the spouse or domestic partner, as defined in 3 FAM 1610, of the chief of mission in order to assist such spouse or domestic partner in arranging for his or her departure and life after arrival at the post. GTM/FLO maintains current and comprehensive files on the contributions of dependents on the economic, political, and social-welfare life of countries of assignment. The Director and GTM/FLO staff are prepared to discuss community activities at the post and the availability of support for embassy dependents’ projects with the chief of mission’s dependent(s). There are also files available on previous experience of direct interest to spouses and domestic partners.
3 FAM 1416 CONGRESSIONAL APPEARANCE
(CT:PER-674; 04-27-2012)
Once the President has nominated an individual for Senate confirmation, the Bureau of Legislative Affairs (H) becomes the focal point for assisting the nominee through the Senate confirmation process. The Bureau of Legislative Affairs, under the direction of the Assistant Secretary, will:
(1) Brief the nominee on the Senate confirmation process;
(2) Provide the names and biographic information on appropriate members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and
(3) Assist the bureau in preparing a nominee for a Senate hearing.
3 FAM 1417 SPEECH MAKING AND PRESS CONFERENCES
(CT:PER-674; 04-27-2012)
When the dates of a chief of mission’s return for any reason to Washington, are known, the senior desk officer will inform the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (PA), in writing, of those dates so that the Assistant Secretary may, as appropriate:
(1) Ask the chief of mission if he or she would be willing to make speeches;
(2) Arrange informational activities;
(3) Arrange press conferences; and
(4) Arrange individual appointments with correspondents.
3 FAM 1417.1 Facilities and Administrative Services
(CT:PER-674; 04-27-2012)
During the chief of mission’s stay in the United States, the executive director of the geographic bureau will:
(1) Arrange for office space and secretarial assistance; and
(2) Process the chief of mission’s travel plans, reservations, passports, visas, etc.
3 FAM 1417.2 Debriefing
(CT:PER-674; 04-27-2012)
a. The Department regards debriefings as especially important and urges that the fullest advantage be taken of the chief of mission’s knowledge of the country of his or her past assignment. Therefore, on return to Washington for consultation, leave, transfer, retirement, or other purposes, the chief of mission is expected to be available on an extensive scale for such debriefing.
b. Section 401(b) of the Foreign Service Act requires chiefs of mission leaving the Foreign Service to perform such functions as debriefing while on chief-of-mission salary.
c. Debriefing responsibility is assigned to the bureau Assistant Secretary who may, in turn, delegate the preparation, planning, and execution of the debriefing schedule to the appropriate bureau officer, working in cooperation with the Office of the Director General and, when appropriate, with the Bureau of Legislative Affairs.
d. After the debriefing schedule has been prepared, the Assistant Secretary of the regional bureau will send a copy to the Director General.
3 FAM 1418 and 1419 UNASSIGNED