Secretary of State Marco Rubio is moving quickly on President Donald Trump’s directive to overhaul the State Department and has notified Congress of plans to eliminate or consolidate more than 300 offices.
On Thursday, Rubio notified Congress of some of the plan’s particulars. The elimination or consolidation of more than 300 department offices amounts to nearly 45% of the State Department’s stateside offices, according to a document shared with The Daily Signal by a senior State Department official.
The document outlines that these bureaus will focus on energy and technology, humanitarian affairs, internal operations, foreign assistance, strategy, and security, respectively. Some offices that have authorities spread across these domains will be broken up and absorbed by other offices within the respective bureaus. Cybersecurity and defense issues and digital freedom issues, for example, will be moved out of the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy.
Rubio released a statement after transmitting the plan to Congress. “Over the past quarter century, the domestic operations of the State Department have grown exponentially, resulting in more bureaucracy, higher costs, and fewer results for the American people,” Rubio said. “Since my first day as Secretary, I have said that this Department must move at the speed of relevancy and, in April announced a broad reorganization of the Department to better achieve that goal. Today, we took the next step in that process by notifying Congress of how we plan to do that.”
“The plan submitted to Congress was the result of thoughtful and deliberative work by senior Department leadership,” Rubio’s statement continued. “We have taken into account feedback from lawmakers, bureaus, and long-serving employees. The reorganization plan will result in a more agile Department, better equipped to promote America’s interests and keep Americans safe across the world.”
As Rubio suggests in his statement, he announced the “comprehensive reorganization plan” in April, which the secretary characterized at the time as an aggressive effort to “bring the department into the 21st Century.”
Before Rubio’s time in Foggy Bottom, the State Department had nearly 750 offices. These offices often had duplicative or overlapping authorities and responsibilities. In April’s preliminary plans, the State Department was aiming to close 132 offices and consolidate 137 more. The closure or consolidation of these offices would come with massive staffing changes as well: Rubio ordered undersecretaries and other top officials to develop plans to cut their respective staffs by 15%.
With the closure and consolidation of more than 300 offices, Rubio’s reorganization overshot its April target.
Rubio’s effort looks to right size a department that has tripled in size over the last 25 years.
Bradley Devlin is the politics editor for The Daily Signal.
Reprinted with Permission from The Daily Signal – By Bradley Devlin
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
The bloated bureaucracy gets a much-needed haircut!! Thank you, Marco Rubio, for doing the job!
We reap the rewards by acknowledging that the government isn’t as effective as believed. Change occurs positively when it’s believed. Rubio excels in transparency and is laser-focused on making necessary, effective changes. I love this group of problem solvers. Change is imminent for greatness!
Trump has a GREAT administration this term!
As usual, Congress dragging their feet so they can keep wasting the taxpayer’s money on nonessential Dept. State offices.
There is not a household or business that could possibly survive the govt. style of management without going bankrupt. No need for three cooks when one capable one can manage fine.
Secretary of State, Mr. Rubio, has proven an invaluable asset to his position; the right man, for the perfect/ideal position. His astute accuracy to see, find, determine an avenue of success, present and articulate it before President Trump, American Citizens and Media is laudable. Mr. Rubio has gained my personal and deepest admiration. By holding the line he shall go far wherever personal inclination may take him, within logical thought.
The State Dept was really in need of clean up from all the corruption especially since Hillary forward. Cutting it in half is such a great thing, bigger than hoped for. This will make it so much easier to manage as well. Also easier for oversight to keep corruption at bay. Need law to stop it from growing without permissions. Marco is doing a magnificent job. I didn’t know much about him prior, except he was Fl. congressman.
God Bless President Trump!
God Bless VP Vance!
They will have Non – Stop Push Back from the Democratic Radicals and RINO Republicans.
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
Absolutely Cut the Bloated Government.
300 is a good start!
More than likely 75% of these employees haven’t been to their offices since the Pandemic.
All of this sponsored by The Biden Administration.
Backed by the DEEP STATE!
Slash and reconstruct. Get out the troublemakers.
Theme Offices needed:
Asia Pacific
Defense
Terrorisim
EU
Trade
Tech
Mr. Rubio has seen much, and is evidently driven by a desire to see eqitable changes…. in the genuine, measurable sense.
He needs to take a good hard look at their contractors, too. There are several who lie to and cheat the government regularly.
Good, very good!! Keep making cuts!
Excellent!
fort USA sounds like it should mean Fort USSR!
The reverse is the case, Butthead!
I was waiting for you to say the Blue States and Canada would form their own Nazi nation but apparently you don’t even know what a Nazi is!
Hard to say what is right only time can tell!
WOW, with all the money this action by Rubio will save, our next donation to the Nazi regime in Ukraine will only set our nation back maybe $49.9 billion?
Good on Rubio eh?