AFSA's policy and executive staff have identified the issues listed below as the most pressing ones facing the Foreign Service today. We work on these issues on a daily basis and eagerly look forward to reporting successes as they occur. Please feel free to get in touch with Legislative Assistant Clint Lohse (lohse@afsa.org, 202-944-5515) for further details on each issue.

• Pay and Benefits Tracker (courtesy Federal News Radio)
• Overseas Comparability Pay
• Iraq Transition
• Professional Education and Training
• Foreign Service Animal Companion Rights
• Foreign Relations Appropriations
• Pay Freeze
• Core Precepts
• Strategy to Address Mid-Level Staffing Gap
• Generalist Mid-Level Entry
• Hiring Mechanisms
• Waivers on Suspension of Annuities for WAE/Salary and Hours Caps
• Equalizations of Benefits between Agencies
• Transparency and Fairness in Security Clearances
• Separate Maintenance Allowance
• Foreign Relations Authorization Bill
• Political Appointee Ambassadors
• Worldwide Availability
• War Zone Parity with Military (Tax and Health)
• USAID/State Coordination and Amalgamation
• Low Ranking
• Survivor Benefits Servicing
• Retirement Age
• Federal Employee Entitlements
• Domestic Partner Issues
• Parental Leave
• WEP/GPO Modification and/or Elimination
• Premium Conversion
• Diplomatic Privileges and Status of Specialists
• Employment of Family Members

If you feel that AFSA should devote its energy and attention to additional issues, please do not hesitate to let us know.

• Ambassador Project
• Retiree Services
• Member Guidance
• Legislative Briefing Papers

• Senate Foreign Relations Committee
• Senate Appropriations Committee
• House Foreign Affairs Committee
• House Appropriations Committee