
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC5694]

 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
                      CHAPTER 87--EXPORT PROMOTION
 
               SUBCHAPTER V--FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE
 
Sec. 5694. Staff of Foreign Agricultural Service


(a) Personnel of Service

    To ensure that the agricultural export programs of the United States 
are carried out in an effective manner, the authorized number of 
personnel for the Service shall not be less than 900 staff years each 
fiscal year.

(b) Rank of Foreign Agricultural Service officers in foreign missions

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of State 
shall, on the request of the Secretary of Agriculture, accord the 
diplomatic title of Minister-Counselor to the senior Service officer 
assigned to any United States mission abroad. The number of Service 
officers holding such diplomatic title at any time may not exceed 
twelve.

(Pub. L. 95-501, title V, Sec. 504, as added Pub. L. 101-624, title XV, 
Sec. 1531, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3686.)


                            Prior Provisions

    Provisions similar to those in subsec. (b) of this section appear in 
the following appropriation acts:
    Pub. L. 101-506, title IV, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1343.
    Pub. L. 100-202, Sec. 101(k) [title IV, Sec. 401], Dec. 22, 1987, 
101 Stat. 1329-322, 1329-350.


  Language Proficiency and Evaluation of Foreign Agricultural Service 
                                Officers

    Section 1556 of title XV of Pub. L. 101-624, as amended by Pub. L. 
104-127, title II, Sec. 281(b), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 980, provided 
that:
    ``(a) Assessment of Foreign Language Competence.--The Foreign 
Agricultural Service shall revise its evaluation reports for its Foreign 
Service officers so as to require in a separate entry an assessment of 
the officer's effectiveness in using, in his or her work, a foreign 
language or foreign languages tested at the General Professional 
Speaking Proficiency level or above, in cases where the supervisor is 
capable of making such an assessment.
    ``(b) Precedence in Promotion.--The Director of Personnel of the 
Foreign Agricultural Service shall instruct promotion panels to take 
account of language ability and, all criteria for promotion otherwise 
being equal, to give precedence in promotions to officers who have 
achieved at least the General Professional Speaking Proficiency level in 
1 or more foreign languages over officers who lack that level of 
proficiency.''

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 1748 of this title.
