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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee Chairman Michael Lawler delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing on the State Department Management Family FY26 Budget Posture.

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-Remarks-

Today, we convene to conduct oversight of the Department of State’s Management Family and review its budgetary posture and strategic priorities for fiscal year 2026. I want to thank our witness, Mr. Jose Cunningham, for appearing before us. Mr. Cunningham is both serving as the acting undersecretary for management, as well as the assistant secretary for administration.

The Bureau of Management is the backbone of the State Department. It touches every element of America’s diplomatic presence from safeguarding our personnel and Americans abroad to adjudicating passports and visas to managing our IT, our embassies, and our financial systems.

These responsibilities are vital to our national security, and we appreciate the hard work of the men and women who make up the M family. But as we look ahead, we must ask whether the department’s management architecture is fit for purpose in a world of rapid geopolitical change, digital threats, and rising demands for accountability. In our current structure delivering results, or is it weighed down by redundancy, fragmentation, and outdated systems.

We’ll be examining several core issues today. The department’s ability to modernize its technology, financial management, and administrative systems; how the department is coordinating across bureaus to reduce duplication and deliver cost-effective services; whether key security functions like counterintelligence and cybersecurity are integrated and mission ready; and how the department is using flexible funding tools like the Working Capital Fund to support shared services and meet evolving global threats.

We’ll also consider whether structural reforms are needed to consolidate core management functions, streamline executive offices and align financial oversight with policy priorities so that every taxpayer dollar advances our mission abroad.

Finally, I want to emphasize the importance of a strong and collaborative partnership between Congress and the State Department. When we work hand in hand, grounded in open, timely and transparent communication, we are best positioned to advance our shared national security and foreign policy goals. Congress stands ready to support the Department’s mission, and we look forward to continuing that work together.

Mr. Cunningham, we look forward to your testimony and to a robust discussion of how we can work together to ensure the State Department is as agile, secure, and results-driven as the world demands.

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