Congress moves to add 600 consular officers
The intelligence reform bill allows the State Department to increase its workforce by 150 consular officers annually for the next four years.
The State Department has been authorized to increase the size of its consular workforce by 600 officers to boost staffing levels at embassies around the world.
The 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, approved last week by Congress, grants State Department officials the power to increase the workforce by 150 officers for four consecutive years-fiscal 2006 through fiscal 2009.
Consular officers are responsible for granting travel, student and immigrant visas and screening potential visitors to the United States. The State Department employs 1,081 consular officers, 350 of which joined the department after 9/11. Officers are stationed in 160 embassies and 80 consulates across the globe.
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, the department's consular services received sharp criticism. State Department observers and employees have said that consular officers continue to be burdened with extremely heavy workloads.
The move also might be designed to help support stricter controls on immigration security. The legislation limits the use of foreign employees in reviewing visa applications, and all immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications must now "be reviewed and adjudicated by a consular officer."
State Department officials said the agency could not comment on the intelligence bill because it is authorization legislation. Until a spending bill is passed, the official said, the State Department would not discuss the issue.
The agency also declined to provide information on the number of consular officers who would have been added between fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2009, in the absence of the intelligence reform bill.
Outside observers, however, praised the legislation and said it would improve homeland security efforts by strengthening the consular workforce.
"Obviously we welcome these proposed increases; the war on terror is placing stress on these officers, and overall stress," said a statement from the American Foreign Service Association. "More people can be put into key posts."
The Partnership for Public Service said it was important to ensure that the correct personnel are hired for the positions.
AFSA also had a cautious note to add to their support of the legislation.
"We hope Congress will embed these personnel additions," the AFSA statement said. "We hope that personnel increases like this can be sustained year after year on a long-term basis."