Rogers Act

Rogers Act
Great Seal of the United States
Long titleAn Act for the reorganization and improvement of the Foreign Service of the United States, and for other purposes.
NicknamesForeign Service Act of 1924
Enacted bythe 68th United States Congress
EffectiveJuly 1, 1924
Citations
Public lawPub. L. 68–135
Statutes at Large43 Stat. 140
Codification
Titles amended22 U.S.C.: Foreign Relations and Intercourse
U.S.C. sections created22 U.S.C. ch. 52 § 3901 et seq.
Legislative history
  • Introduced in the House as H.R. 6357 by John Jacob Rogers (RMA) on February 5, 1924
  • Committee consideration by House Foreign Affairs
  • Passed the House on May 1, 1924 (Passed)
  • Passed the Senate on May 15, 1924 (Passed) with amendment
  • House agreed to Senate amendment on May 20, 1924 (Agreed)
  • Signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge on May 24, 1924

The Rogers Act of 1924, often referred to as the Foreign Service Act of 1924, is the legislation that merged the United States diplomatic and consular services into the United States Foreign Service. It defined a personnel system under which the United States Secretary of State is authorized to assign and rotate diplomats abroad. It merged the low-paid high prestige diplomatic service with the higher paid, middle class consul service. The act provided a merit-based career path, with guaranteed rotations and better pay.[1]

  1. ^ J. Robert Moskin (2013). American Statecraft: The Story of the U.S. Foreign Service. St. Martin's Press. pp. 339–56. ISBN 9781250037459.