Expand eXpertise in China Education and Language Act or the EXCEL Act
This bill requires various actions to address competition with China.
The Department of State must use direct hire authority to appoint at least 31 candidates with China-related linguistic, cultural, or regional expertise to positions in the competitive service. The bill requires the State Department to train certain employees on topics such as the domestic and foreign policy objectives of China and the Chinese Communist Party.
Additionally, the bill establishes a China strategic advisory board and requires the Government Accountability Office to study the personnel capacity and capability of the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to support strategic competition with China.