ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13750Executive OrderObama · D

Executive Order 13750

Providing for the Appointment of Alumni of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, and the Critical Language Scholarship Program to the Competitive Service

This executive order grants Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) for federal competitive service appointments to alumni of three State Department international exchange programs—Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, and Critical Language Scholarship Program—who are certified by the Secretary of State and pass OPM examinations. Appointments must generally occur within one year of program completion, with possible extensions up to three years for military service, higher education, or other approved activities.

Federal Register Open PDF 81 FR 87393

Impact dates

  1. Maximum extension period for military service, higher education, or other warranted activities

  2. Appointment must be effected after program completion

Key directives

  • Agency heads may appoint certified program alumni to competitive service positions (Sec. 2)
  • Secretary of State or designee shall issue certificates upon request to qualified alumni (Sec. 3)
  • Appointments must be effected within 1 year after program completion (Sec. 4)
  • 1-year period may be extended to not more than 3 years for military service, higher education, or other warranted activities (Sec. 4)
  • Period may also be extended to permit background investigation adjudication (Sec. 4)
  • Appointees become career conditional employees (Sec. 5)
  • Standard competitive service disqualifications apply (Sec. 6)
  • OPM authorized to issue additional implementing regulations (Sec. 7)
  • Eligible individuals may be hired noncompetitively with or without additional regulations (Sec. 7)

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • EO takes effect upon signing; agencies may begin appointing eligible alumni
  • Secretary of State or designee authorized to issue certificates upon request

Near term (90d)

  • OPM may prescribe examination requirements
  • OPM may issue implementing regulations

Long term

  • Ongoing expansion of federal hiring pipeline for individuals with strategic language and cultural skills
  • Potential workforce retention effects across agencies requiring regional expertise

Risks & tensions

  • No funding appropriation guarantee; implementation subject to availability of appropriations (Sec. 8(b))
  • No private right of action created; individuals cannot enforce eligibility in court (Sec. 8(c))
  • Vague standard for 'other activities' warranting extension creates discretionary uncertainty
  • Potential tension with merit-based competitive hiring principles despite NCE justification
  • Reliance on OPM examinations and State Department certification creates interagency coordination dependency
Executive Order 13750: Providing for the Appointment of Alumni of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, and the Critical Language Scholarship Program to the Competitive Service · Executive Orders