Thousands of U.S. diplomats stationed overseas are at risk of a significant 22% pay cut starting in October if Congress does not pass a government funding bill by the September 30 deadline. This potential reduction, affecting over 11,000 federal employees across various foreign affairs agencies, is linked to the impending lapse of the Overseas Comparability Pay (OCP) system, crucial for aligning salaries with those in the Washington, D.C. area. Senator Chris Coons emphasized the urgency of resolving this issue, stating that a pay cut would be 'needless and demoralizing'. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) has been actively working with Congress to ensure the reauthorization of OCP, highlighting the financial uncertainty faced by its members. If not addressed, employees could lose an average of $21,000 annually, exacerbating the challenges of working abroad. Lawmakers are scrambling to include a solution in the ongoing negotiations to prevent a government shutdown.