Bennet, Van Hollen, Colleagues Press Rubio on State Department’s Delay Onboarding Diplomats into U.S. Foreign Service

Mar 26, 2026| Press Releases

Senators raise concerns that delay is wasting taxpayer dollars, hurting diplomatic readiness, and risking future recruitment

Washington, D.C. - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, joined Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and 20 of their colleagues in writing to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding their concerns with the State Department's indefinite delay in onboarding Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows into the U.S. Foreign Service. Upon completion of either of these two highly competitive fellowships, these extremely talented recruits are well-equipped with the skills and expertise to be effective foreign service officers. Yet the State Department has not yet invited over 50 fellows to complete their formal onboarding. The Senators stress in their letter that this delay risks wasting millions of taxpayer dollars invested in the fellows, undermining our diplomatic capacity, and jeopardizing future recruitment efforts needed to maintain a well-functioning diplomatic corps in the long term.

"We write with deep concern regarding the State Department's indefinite delay in onboarding Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows into the U.S. Foreign Service. This delay in onboarding mission-ready fellows undermines U.S. diplomatic readiness, wastes congressionally appropriated taxpayer dollars, and directly harms these outstanding Americans while simultaneously discouraging future talent from applying to the Foreign Service. We urge you to include all eligible Pickering and Rangel fellows in the remaining A-100 orientation classes of 2026, provide an explanation for this indefinite onboarding delay, and clarify the situation for future cohorts of public servants," the Senators began.

"As you know, the Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellowships are the State Department's 'flagship initiatives for recruiting top-tier talent' for the U.S. Foreign Service. The fellowships have an annual acceptance rate of under 5% and fellows are selected from all over the country, collectively representing the best and breadth of our nation," the Senators continued. "The longer these ready-to-serve fellows are delayed in their onboarding the more we compromise our national security interests, diplomatic capacity, and leadership on the world stage."

"We request that you include all remaining eligible Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows in the remaining A-100 orientation classes of 2026. There are 50+ fellows ready and waiting to serve the United States in the Foreign Service. Taxpayers have invested millions of dollars in these diplomats. Now, you must let the State Department reap the benefits," the Senators wrote, going on to list questions for Secretary Rubio's response regarding the delay in onboarding, including:

• How many Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows from the 2023 and deferred 2022 cohorts remain in the onboarding pipeline?
• What is the reason for the delay in onboarding Pickering and Rangel fellows?
• Contractually, Pickering and Rangel Fellows may be subjected to a reimbursement
• obligation to the United States Government if they are unable to fulfill the obligations of the fellowships. Are fellows subjected to this reimbursement obligation if they are not able to complete the fellowship obligations due to State Department delays and through no fault of the fellows themselves?
• How much in congressionally appropriated taxpayer dollars would be wasted if fellows are unable to complete the fellowship obligations due to State Department delays and through no fault of the fellows themselves?

In addition to Bennet and Van Hollen, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) signed this letter.

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Secretary Rubio:

We write with deep concern regarding the State Department's indefinite delay in onboarding Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows into the U.S. Foreign Service. This delay in onboarding mission-ready fellows undermines U.S. diplomatic readiness, wastes congressionally appropriated taxpayer dollars, and directly harms these outstanding Americans while simultaneously discouraging future talent from applying to the Foreign Service. We urge you to include all eligible Pickering and Rangel fellows in the remaining A-100 orientation classes of 2026, provide an explanation for this indefinite onboarding delay, and clarify the situation for future cohorts of public servants.

As you know, the Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellowships are the State Department's "flagship initiatives for recruiting top-tier talent" for the U.S. Foreign Service. The fellowships have an annual acceptance rate of under 5% and fellows are selected from all over the country, collectively representing the best and breadth of our nation. All Pickering and Rangel fellows obtain two-year graduate degrees funded by the State Department in a field of study that is relevant to a career in the U.S. Foreign Service, attend numerous professional development programs to enhance their understanding and skills for Foreign Service careers, and complete two internships - one abroad at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate and one domestic, at the State Department headquarters for Pickering Fellows and with a member of Congress for Rangel fellows. The U.S. government invests over $100,000 on average per fellow to complete the fellowships and train to serve as U.S. diplomats.

As of 2022, these two merit- and need- based fellowships have increased the number of Foreign Service generalists from underrepresented groups by 33% and the number of women by 6%. Pickering and Rangel fellows are uniquely qualified to serve in the U.S. Foreign Service as they have not only successfully met the standards required by the State Department of all Foreign Service Officers, but have also benefitted from the additional enrichment, mentorship, and support of these fellowship programs.

The Pickering and Rangel fellowships are among the diplomatic fellowship programs codified by Congress and were reauthorized in the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, on a bipartisan basis. Despite the investments and bipartisan support for these fellowships, we have heard reports that onboarding invitations for fellows in the 2023 and deferred 2022 cohorts largely remain on hold. Only a small fraction of the eligible fellows have received orientation invitations while the majority have waited for months with little to no communication, explanation, or transparency from the State Department. These highly qualified and talented Americans have completed the rigorous academic, professional, and skills requirements of these fellowships to embark on careers in the U.S. Foreign Service. They have also obtained and maintained the proper medical, security, and suitability requirements of Foreign Service Officers. The longer these ready-to-serve fellows are delayed in their onboarding the more we compromise our national security interests, diplomatic capacity, and leadership on the world stage.

We request that you include all remaining eligible Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows in the remaining A-100 orientation classes of 2026. There are 50+ fellows ready and waiting to serve the United States in the Foreign Service. Taxpayers have invested millions of dollars in these diplomats. Now, you must let the State Department reap the benefits. Furthermore, we request responses to the following questions by April 19, 2026.

1. How many Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel fellows from the 2023 and deferred 2022 cohorts remain in the onboarding pipeline?

• How many fellows have been onboarded from these cohorts at the time of response to this letter?

2. What is the reason for the delay in onboarding Pickering and Rangel fellows?

• What criteria is being used to determine which fellows are selected for immediate onboarding?

3. Please outline the steps the State Department will take to better manage these fellowships to prevent delays for future cohorts.

4. Contractually, Pickering and Rangel Fellows may be subjected to a reimbursement obligation to the United States Government if they are unable to fulfill the obligations of the fellowships. Are fellows subjected to this reimbursement obligation if they are not able to complete the fellowship obligations due to State Department delays and through no fault of the fellows themselves?

• How much in congressionally appropriated taxpayer dollars would be wasted if fellows are unable to complete the fellowship obligations due to State Department delays and through no fault of the fellows themselves?

5. How many Pickering and Rangel fellows have served and are currently serving in the U.S. Foreign Service?

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