WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development, issued the following joint statement following a POLITICO report on Department of State promotion panels.

“We are deeply concerned about the Inspector General’s report released today that says friends and relatives of State Department officials have been serving on panels that choose which diplomats are promoted. This report raises questions of apparent violations of ethics, which undermine the credibility of the State Department. These concerns make it more urgent for the full Senate and House to swiftly pass our bipartisan legislation, two bills unanimously passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that would (1) establish a Commission to Reform and Modernize the State Department, including personnel-related matters, and(2) modernize training and professional development for State Department personnel.

“The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has the responsibility for oversight of the State Department. We intend to convene a subcommittee hearing during which State Department officials can explain what has transpired and how they plan to pursue accountability in this regard.”

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