Barbara Lee: “I understand the underlying wish for all of us to get back to the way things were prior to the onset of the COVID…”

“I understand the underlying wish for all of us to get back to the way things were prior to the onset of the COVID pandemic. However, a total ban seems a bit excessive. The government as a whole is in competition with the private sector for workers. The priority of where they live has changed for some workers, and without being offered this flexibility, the State Department may find it more difficult to recruit or retrain exceptional employees, which seems to be the goal of some on the other side. Technology now exists that was never contemplated only a few years ago and opens new possibilities for how to be effective, productive participants in any office, whether physically present or not. We need to ensure that our national security and effective diplomacy is conducted by the most capable employees. Options should be available to the Department. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.”