Defending American Diplomacy Act

This bill would block any major reshuffling of the State Department unless Congress approves it by passing a specific law and the Secretary of State first sends a detailed plan to the appropriate congressional committees. If a reorganization happens without following these rules and the Comptroller General certifies that, funds would be cut off for activities of the “Department of Government Efficiency,” and political appointees at State could not use official travel funds.

The plan to Congress must spell out what would change, why, and how it would affect embassies, consulates, visa wait times, security cooperation, intelligence work, and humanitarian and development efforts. It must compare the new setup to the old one, list risks (including how competitors might take advantage), lay out a timeline, explain how staff will be reassigned or retrained, and certify that no laws or employee rights will be violated .

• Who is affected: The State Department, its political appointees, diplomats and consular staff, and people who rely on services like visas and embassy support abroad.
• What changes: Any future reorganization needs a new law and a detailed plan to Congress; there are penalties if these steps aren’t followed, including travel limits for political appointees and a funding cutoff for certain activities.
• When: Applies to future reorganizations once this bill becomes law; no special start date is listed in the text.