2010–2019
January 26, 2010
A Department Notice announced the establishment of the Office of the Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs, which was intended to build relationships between state and local government officials in the United States and their foreign counterparts. Reta Jo Lewis was the first Special Representative.
January 27, 2010
The Bureau of International Organization Affairs established a new Office of Policy, Regional, and Functional Organizations.
April 7, 2010
A Department Notice announced the establishment of The Office of the Coordinator for the Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative. The Office included Deputy Coordinators for Diplomacy and for Development.
August 16, 2010
Ten bureaus (International Security and Nonproliferation Affairs; Verification, Compliance, and Implementation; Political-Military Affairs; Foreign Service Institute; Population, Refugees and Migration; Medical Services; Public Affairs; Near Eastern Affairs; South and Central Asian Affairs, and the Office of the Legal Adviser) made the transition to HR Shared Services.
The Bureaus of European and Eurasian Affairs, International Organization Affairs, African Affairs, East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Western Hemisphere Affairs followed on November 15.
October 1, 2010
The Bureau of Verification, Compliance and Implementation was renamed the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.
December 13, 2010
The Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation was subdivided into three divisions, each headed by a Deputy Assistant Secretary. These were: Nuclear Affairs (comprising the Offices of Multilateral Nuclear and Security Affairs; Nuclear Energy, Safety, and Security; and Regional Affairs); Non-Nuclear and Counter-Proliferation (comprising the Offices of Missile, Biological, and Chemical Nonproliferation; Conventional Arms Threat Reduction; and Counter-Proliferation Initiatives and the Biological Policy Staff); and Non-Proliferation Programs (comprising the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund and the Offices of Cooperative Threat Reduction, Export Control Cooperation, Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism, and Strategic Communications and Outreach.).
December 15, 2010
Secretary of State Clinton released Leading Through Civilian Power, the Department of State’s first Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. It proposed that a Chief Economist be appointed as an adviser to the Secretary. The Secretary’s Office would include an Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues, and the Deputy Secretary would chair a “cyber advisory committee.” Three new bureaus would be established: Energy Resources would include the Offices of the International Energy Coordinator and the Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy; Conflict and Stabilization Operations would incorporate the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization; Counterterrorism would give assistant secretary status to the Coordinator for Counterterrorism.
The Under Secretary for Economics, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs would become the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, and would oversee the bureaus of Economic and Business Affairs, Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Energy Resources, the Chief Economist, and the Office of the Scientific and Technology Advisor.
The Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs’ title would be changed to “Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights,” and would oversee the Bureaus of Population, Refugees and Migration; Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; Conflict and Stabilization Operations; and the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
The Bureau of Public Affairs would receive a new deputy assistant secretary in charge of international media support. A Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications would be established.
January 31–February 4, 2011
The Department of State hosted its first Global Chiefs of Mission Conference, in which all chiefs of U.S. diplomatic missions met in Washington to consider how to implement the recommendations of the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review.
February 2011
The Office of Coordinator for Cyber Issues was organized in the Office of the Secretary of State. Christopher Painter was the first to hold the position.
June 21, 2011
An Office of the Comptroller was established in the Bureau of Consular Affairs to handle financial affairs.
June 28, 2011
A Special Adviser to the Secretary for Global Youth Issues was appointed. Ronan Farrow held the position.
October 14, 2011
The Bureau of Energy Resources was established. Ambassador Carlos Pascual, the Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs, became its Director.
November 21, 2011
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations was established, replacing the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization. Pending the appointment of an Assistant Secretary, Acting Coordinator Robert G. Loftis would be chief of the new bureau.
December 8, 2011
In response to the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs changed its title to “the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.” It would now supervise the existing Bureaus of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and Economic and Business Affairs; the new Bureau of Energy Resources, the Office of the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary, and a future Office of the Chief Economist.
January 4, 2012
Also in response to the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, the Bureau of Counterterrorism replaced the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism. Coordinator Daniel Benjamin became chief of the new Bureau.
January 17, 2012
Under Secretary for Global Affairs Maria Otero assumed the new title of “Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.” The new position would oversee the Bureaus of: Conflict and Stabilization Operations; Counterterrorism; Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; and Population, Refugees, and Migration. It would also oversee the Offices of Global Criminal Justice (formerly War Crimes Issues), Global Youth Issues, and the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
March 7, 2012
The Office of the Chief Economist was established, with Heidi Crebo-Rediker as the first Chief Economist, with rank equivalent to an Assistant Secretary. The Chief Economist was to report to the Secretary through the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.
June 29, 2012
The Under Secretary for Management assumed the additional title of Chief Financial Officer. The former Bureau of Resource Management was subdivided into two new Bureaus: Budget and Planning; and Comptroller and Global Financial Services. The functions of the former Office of Strategic Planning and Policy were subdivided between the two new bureaus. The new Bureau Directors would have rank equivalent to an Assistant Secretary. Barbara Retzlaff became Director of the Bureau of Budget and Planning. Jim Millette became Comptroller.
August 10, 2012
P.L. 112-116, the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011, was signed into law. It removed the requirement of Senate confirmation for appointment to 163 high-level positions. Two of them, the Assistant Secretaries for Public Affairs and for Administration, were in the Department of State.
October 16, 2012
Two offices within the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs were reorganized and redesignated. The Office of Environmental Policy became the Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues. The Office of Ecology and Conservation became the Office of Conservation and Water.
December 2012
Establishment of the Office of Global Health Diplomacy. Ambassador Leslie Rowe was its first chief.
August 7, 2013
Establishment of the Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives. Its purpose was to be link between the Department and religious organizations. Special Adviser Shaun Casey was its first chief.
August 19, 2013
The Office of Shared Services and the Office of the Human Resources Shared Services Provider, both in the Bureau of Human Resources, were merged.
January 13, 2014
The Department of State’s 29th domestic passport agency was opened in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
February 10, 2014
An Africa Summit Policy Liaison Office was established in the Bureau of African Affairs. Its mission was to prepare for the first U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, scheduled for August 5-6, 2014. Ambassador Michael A. Battle, previously U.S. Representative to the African Union, was Senior Adviser and head of the new Office.
March 11, 2014
The Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment received the additional title of Senior Coordinator for International Information Technology Diplomacy.
June 30, 2014
An Office of Security and Human Rights was established in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Its mission was to align U.S. national security policies with laws, policies, and principles relating to human rights and democracy.
September 3, 2014
Ground was broken for the United States Diplomacy Center, a museum and educational center, outside the 21st Street entrance to the Truman Building.
September 30, 2014
The General Services Administration awarded a $77 million contract for the bulk of the extensive interior renovations and upgrades planned for the Department’s Harry S. Truman Building.
November 12, 2014
The Office of Public Liaison in the Bureau of Public Affairs became the Office of Public Engagement. The office of the Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs became the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
January 20, 2015
The Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance was subdivided into six Offices and the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center. The Offices were: Chemical and Biological Weapons; Euro-Atlantic Security Affairs; Emerging Security Challenges; Multilateral and Nuclear Affairs; Strategic Stability and Deterrence; and Verification, Planning, and Outreach.
January 22, 2015
The Office of Global Health Diplomacy was merged with the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, to form a new Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy. Ambassador-at-Large Deborah L. Birx, Global AIDS Coordinator since April 3, 2014, assumed charge of the new office.
February 18, 2015
Following the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism, the Bureau of Counterterrorism was renamed the Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism. The new bureau included a new Office of Countering Violent Extremism.
February 19, 2015
The Office of Computer Security in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security was renamed the Office of Cybersecurity.
February 23, 2015
Secretary of State John F. Kerry announced the appointment of Randy Berry as the first Special Envoy for the Rights of LGBT Persons.
May 5, 2015
The Bureau of International Organization Affairs changed the names of four of its offices: The Office of Global Systems became the Office of Specialized and Technical Agencies. The Office of Human Security became the Office of Economic and Development Affairs. The Office of Public Affairs and Outreach became the Office of Public Affairs, Planning, and Coordination. The Office of Policy and Regional and Functional Organizations became the Office of Regional Policy and Coordination.
August 14, 2015
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs established a new Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy. The new position was to oversee the Offices of Policy and Evaluation, Alumni Affairs, and Cultural Heritage, as well as Public and Private Partnerships, the Collaboratory, and the Interagency Working Group.
September 8, 2015
The office of Transparency Coordinator was created to improve the preservation of Department of State records to speed responses to Freedom of Information Act requests and requests from members of Congress. Former Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Janice Jacobs assumed charge.
December 4, 2015
The Office of Medical Services became the Bureau of Medical Services.
January 12, 2016
The Bureau of Intelligence and Research subdivided its Office of Analysis for Near East and South Asia into the Offices of Analysis for South Asia and the Office of Analysis for Near East Affairs.
Assistant Secretary John Kirby announced a reorganization of the Bureau of Public Affairs. A Deputy Spokesperson would oversee two Directorates: a Director for Press Operations, and a Managing Director for International Media. The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary would oversee two offices headed by Deputy Assistant Secretaries: Outreach, and Digital Strategy; as well as an Office of Strategic Planning.
March 3, 2016
The Office of the Legal Adviser and the Bureau of Congressional Affairs established a joint executive office. The new office contained a Management Resources Division, in charge of human resources, budget and finance, and strategic planning; and a Management Services Division, in charge of administrative services, information technology, and records management.
May 3, 2016
Under Secretary for Management Patrick F. Kennedy announced the establishment of the Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps, which was intended to provide organization and structure to the employment of family members of Foreign Service personnel serving at overseas posts. Family members would be eligible to enroll beginning June 1, with the enrollment process continuing over a period of 20 to 24 months.
October 1, 2016
The Department of State introduced Service Passports for issuance to third-party contractors providing support to U.S. government activities overseas. These would have a gray cover.
January 9, 2017
Secretary of State John F. Kerry issued a formal apology to the victims of the Lavender Scare, noting that “as far back as the 1940s, but continuing for decades – the Department of State was among many public and private employers that discriminated against employees and job applicants on the basis of perceived sexual orientation, forcing some employees to resign or refusing to hire certain applicants in the first place. These actions were wrong then, just as they would be wrong today.”
March 13, 2017
President Donald J. Trump signed E.O. 13781 (“Comprehensive Plan for Reorganizing the Executive Branch”), which required the head of each federal agency to submit reorganization plans “to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of that agency” to the Director of OMB within 180 days. The E.O. also mandated the Director of OMB to draw from each agency’s plan and public comments to prepare a comprehensive reorganization plan to submit to the president.
May 1, 2017
Secretary Rex Tillerson sent an email to all employees in which he announced the commencement of an online listening survey as the first phase of his Department redesign effort.
July 19, 2017
Deputy Secretary John Sullivan was appointed to chair a steering committee composed of foreign and civil service leaders from both State and USAID to explore recommendations for the ongoing Department redesign effort. The steering committee formed working groups in five different areas: Foreign Assistance, Overseas Alignment and Approach, Human Capital Planning, Management Support, and IT Platform Planning.
September 13, 2017
Secretary Tillerson announced the submission of the Department of State’s reorganization plan to the Director of OMB in fulfillment of E.O. 13781, dated March 13, 2017.
December 12, 2017
At a town hall meeting of Department staff, Secretary Tillerson announced the implementation of several Department redesign recommendations, including expanded employment opportunities for Eligible Family Members (EFMs) and an end to the hiring freeze for EFMs in 2018. (17 State 126292) Tillerson also approved resumption of Civil Service lateral reassignments within the Department and resumption of internal Civil Service competitive promotions, both beginning January 7, 2018.
February 13, 2018
Secretary Tillerson announced the transition of the ongoing Department redesign effort into the Impact Initiative. The Impact Initiative, he said, “is the implementation of plans generated during the 2017 Redesign to enhance our ability to carry out America’s foreign policy and strengthen our leadership training and development.” The Impact Initiative consisted of two broad components: The first, Modernization, consisted of 16 projects related to information technology and human resources, policy processes and the Department’s global resource footprint, and operational efficiencies. The second component, Leadership, consisted of a comprehensive review of policies designed to strengthen leadership development under the direction of Julieta Valls Noyes, Acting Deputy Director of the Foreign Service Institute. Ambassador Daniel Smith, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, was named the overall leader of the Impact Initiative.
March 13, 2018
The Department launched the Mercury Abatement Hub, an intranet website that provided curated resources and guidance for posts to use in engaging on mercury issues.
May 1, 2018
Secretary of State Michael Pompeo reauthorized U.S. missions abroad to hire Eligible Family Members (EFMs) and other overseas employees, to be done within the constraints of funding resource levels as provided in the Department’s appropriations.
May 7, 2018
IRM’s Email Division migrated Department email mailboxes from Exchange On-Premises to O365 Exchange Online, to provide more storage space at lower cost.
May 15, 2018
Secretary Pompeo lifted the Department’s hiring freeze on Foreign Service and Civil Service personnel, authorizing hiring to currently funded levels.
July 25, 2018
The Department of State’s Cloud Strategy was approved. The strategy provided enterprise-level direction regarding cloud services, addressed the issue of bureau-focused cloud adoption, and drove the Department toward a shared services model to deliver cloud solutions more cost-effectively. The Department’s cloud strategy aligned with the President’s IT Modernization Plan, FY 2017 – 2019 Department of State IT Strategic Plan, and the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA), while fulfilling various government-wide mandates.
October 25, 2018
The Bureau of Human Resources (HR) announced that Ambassador Robert T. Yamate had been appointed Senior Advisor and Care Coordinator for employees affected by the recent unexplained health incidents in Cuba and China. The creation of the Care Coordinator position implemented a recommendation from the Cuba Accountability Review Board report.
April 11, 2019
A Department Notice announced that the Columbia Plaza (SA-1) and Harry S. Truman (HST) ID Units, where government employees and contractors receive identification badges, were being consolidated and relocated to SA-9.
April 26, 2019
Secretary of State Michael Pompeo unveiled a Professional Ethos for the Department of State, drafted by Ambassador Daniel Smith, Director of the Foreign Service Institute, and senior officers from the Foreign Service and Civil Service (both current and former). The ethos was drafted to promote professional qualities and teamwork among Civil Service, Foreign Service, contractors, locally employed staff and non-career employees. The ethos read: “I am a champion of American diplomacy. My colleagues and I proudly serve the United States and the American people at the Department of State, America’s first executive department. We support and defend the Constitution of the United States. We protect the American people and promote their interests and values around the world by leading our nation’s foreign policy. As a member of this team, I serve with unfailing professionalism in both my demeanor and my actions, even in the face of adversity. I act with uncompromising personal and professional integrity. I take ownership of and responsibility for my actions and decisions. And I show unstinting respect in word and deed for my colleagues and all who serve alongside me. Together, we are the United States Department of State.”
May 28, 2019
The Bureau of Public Affairs and the Bureau of International Information Programs merged into the Bureau of Global Public Affairs. Administration of the United States Diplomacy Center moved from the Bureau of Public Affairs to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Office of Public Diplomacy Policy, Planning and Resources. Administration of the Office of the Historian moved from the Bureau of Public Affairs to the Foreign Service Institute. The Office of American Spaces moved to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
June 2019
The Director General of the Foreign Service, Carol Z. Perez, established a Parental Leave Working Group to explore actions the Department could take under existing authorities, benchmark other agencies’ policies, and track relevant legislation in an effort to better support the workforce.
July 31, 2019
The Foreign Service Institute announced the launch of the One Team course (PN101), as part of the Department’s efforts to advance the principles and values in the Professional Ethos Statement introduced by Secretary Pompeo on April 26, 2019. The pilot class ran from August 26-29, 2019. One Team anticipated a fundamental shift in orientation training by combining newly-hired Civil Service and Foreign Service employees, Limited Non-Career appointees (LNAs), and political appointees in a shared setting early in their Department tenure. It was intended to supplement, rather than supplant, the existing orientation courses.
August 6, 2019
The Office of Nordic and Baltic Affairs (EUR/NB) was renamed the Office of Nordic, Baltic, and Arctic Security Affairs (EUR/NBA).
November 5, 2019
The United States Diplomacy Center was renamed the National Museum of American Diplomacy.
November 21, 2019
Overseas posts, Department employees, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recognized the work and commitment of the 56,000 LE staff on this inaugural LE Staff/FSN Recognition Day. The Department joined USAID, Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, and all other agency partners to honor LE staff and FSNs for the work they do.
December 4, 2019
The Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs consolidated its Office of Public Diplomacy (EUR/PD) and its Office of Press and Policy Outreach (EUR/PRESS) to establish an Office of Press and Public Diplomacy (EUR/PPD).
December 18, 2019
Under Secretary for Management Brian Bulatao announced the launch of the Center for Analytics (CfA), a new directorate within the Office of Management Policy, Rightsizing, and Innovation (M/PRI), headed by the Department’s first Chief Data Officer. CfA held a formal launch event, Data for Diplomacy 2020, on January 16, 2020.
December 20, 2019
President Donald J. Trump signed the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act into law, which included the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act. Under this legislation, federal government employees received 12 weeks of paid leave following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child. The Federal Employee Paid Leave Act took effect on October 1, 2020.