1 FAM 022.6

1 FAM 022.6

1 FAM 020
The Secretary of State (S)

1 FAM 022 Office of the Secretary of State (S)

1 FAM 022.6 Open Forum (S/OF)
(TL:ORG-104; 06-30-2001)

a. The Open Forum (S/OF), headed by an elected Chairperson who serves directly under the Secretary of State, brings new or alternative policy recommendations to the Secretary and other principals from U.S. Government employees, at all levels, of the Department of State and USAID. The Open Forum provides opportunities for any employee to express professional views (including dissenting views) candidly, free of bureaucratic constraints, and under safeguards against pressures or penalties.

b. The Chairperson is assisted by an elected Vice Chairperson. They are elected from among employees of State and USAID, by periodic balloting; which is open to all employees of these agencies holding a secret clearance.

c. Administrative resources for the Open Forum are provided through the Policy Planning Staff (S/P).

d. The Chairperson:

(1) Monitors the operation of the Dissent Channel to ensure compliance with the spirit and the letter of the applicable regulations (see Foreign Affairs Manual Volumes 2, 3 and 5);

(2) Operates the Open Forum Channel through which any employee of these agencies may submit to the Secretary, and other principals, new or alternative policy ideas (other than views which are suitable for the Dissent Channel);

(3) Publishes a classified periodical, for distribution to all these employees, in which any employee may express professional views;

(4) Appoints working groups, composed of active or retired employees of these agencies, to examine specific foreign-policy issues and formulate recommendations to the Secretary and other principals;

(5) Operates a speaker program in which experts periodically address employees to stimulate thinking on foreign-policy issues;

(6) Monitors personnel procedures to ensure that no employee is subjected to pressures or penalties, in any manner, for the expression of views through these means described above; and

7. Seeks to obtain appropriate awards (e.g., the American Foreign Service Association's annual Herter, Rivkin, and Harriman Awards), and other recognition and reward, for employees who demonstrate both courage and discipline in advocating their views.