22 USC § 2736c - Professional development opportunities and tools

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t22/s2736c"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "22 USC § 2736c - Professional development opportunities and tools"
title_number: 22
title_name: "FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE"
section_number: "2736c"
section_name: "Professional development opportunities and tools"
chapter_number: 38
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF STATE"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 117–81, div. E, title LIV, § 5405, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2373.)"
---


# § 2736c. Professional development opportunities and tools

**(a)** **Expand provision of professional development and career advancement opportunities**

**(1)** **In general** The Secretary is authorized to expand professional development opportunities that support the mission needs of the Department, such as—

**(A)** academic programs;

**(B)** private-public exchanges; and

**(C)** detail assignments to relevant positions in—

**(i)** private or international organizations;

**(ii)** State, local, and Tribal governments;

**(iii)** other branches of the Federal Government; or

**(iv)** professional schools of international affairs.

**(2)** **Training for senior positions**

**(A)** **In general** The Secretary shall offer, or sponsor members of the workforce to participate in, a Senior Executive Service candidate development program or other program that trains members on the skills required for appointment to senior positions in the Department.

**(B)** **Requirements** In determining which members of the workforce are granted professional development or career advancement opportunities under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall—

**(i)** ensure any program offered or sponsored by the Department under such subparagraph comports with the requirements of subpart C of part 412 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto, including merit staffing and assessment requirements;

**(ii)** consider the number of expected vacancies in senior positions as a factor in determining the number of candidates to select for such programs;

**(iii)** understand how participation in any program offered or sponsored by the Department under such subparagraph differs by gender, race, national origin, disability status, or other demographic categories; and

**(iv)** actively encourage participation from a range of demographic categories, especially from categories with consistently low participation.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 117–81, div. E, title LIV, § 5405, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2373.)

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Definitions

For definitions of “Secretary” and “Department” as used in this section, see , set out as a note under .