Foreign Service workers gain per diem during mandatory leave
H.R. 10095 — To amend the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to provide per diem eligibility for required leave of members of the Foreign Service. · Filed by William Keating (D-MA) · 4 cosponsors · Introduced Aug 13, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends the Foreign Service Act to require that Foreign Service members ordered to take mandatory leave receive per diem (daily allowances), lodging, and related travel benefits during that leave, including federal per diem rates. Currently, such benefits may not be provided during required leave; this bill mandates they be paid.
Why we flagged it
The bill is a narrow, technical amendment to clarify and expand per diem eligibility for a specific federal workforce (Foreign Service members) during mandatory leave. It is routine legislative housekeeping with a modest employee-benefit outcome.
What the text implies
- The bill does not specify funding source or appropriation; implementation depends on existing State Department budget authority to pay per diem during leave periods.
- The phrase 'ordered to take leave' may create ambiguity about voluntary vs. mandatory leave; interpretation will likely rest on State Department policy and prior practice under § 903.
- Reference to 5 U.S.C. § 5702 (federal per diem rates) ties Foreign Service benefits to general federal travel allowance schedules, which may change independently.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Foreign Service members (U.S. government employees serving abroad) gain concrete financial protection during mandatory leave periods, ensuring they are not penalized economically when ordered to take leave. This is a modest but direct improvement in compensation fairness for a specific class of federal workers.
Named in the bill
Foreign Service, State Department, 5 U.S.C. § 5702, Foreign Service Act of 1980
Where it stands
4 cosponsors: 2 Democrats, 2 Republicans.
- Aug 13, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Aug 13, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on Foreign Affairs · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (368 characters) on Aug 21, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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