This bill aims to strengthen protections and increase transparency for federal employees, especially those in the Foreign Service, facing reductions in force (RIFs). It applies to a range of covered agencies including the Department of State, USAID, Millennium Challenge Corporation, and various foreign service components within other departments. The legislation seeks to ensure that RIFs are conducted with greater accountability and consideration for their impact on diplomatic capabilities. A key provision prohibits covered agencies from separating more than 50 employees in any six-month period through RIFs without first meeting stringent requirements. Before such a significant RIF, agencies must submit a detailed explanation to congressional committees at least 20 days prior to notifying affected employees. This explanation must include steps taken to exhaust other options, a justification for the RIF, and assessments of its impact on the agency's mission, U.S. diplomatic presence, and competitiveness with adversaries. For the Foreign Service specifically, the bill amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to establish new RIF procedures. It mandates a worldwide competitive area where employees of the same rank and specialty compete for retention, with determinations based primarily on performance as determined by previous selection board rankings . Other considerations include tenure, language capabilities, and military preference, and members must receive at least 60 days' (and ideally 120 days') advance notice of separation. Furthermore, the bill grants the Foreign Service Grievances Board the same authority as the Merit Systems Protection Board to adjudicate RIF grievances, providing enhanced protections. It also extends the required notice period for all covered agency RIFs to 60 days. Finally, the Secretary of State must provide 30 days' written notice and a briefing to appropriate congressional committees before implementing any significant changes to the Foreign Affairs Manual .