[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 591 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 591
To reform the Federal hiring process, to restore merit to Government
service, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 13, 2025
Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, and
Mr. Tuberville) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reform the Federal hiring process, to restore merit to Government
service, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Restore Merit to Government Service
Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization,
or the head of any successor organization.
(2) Agency.--The term ``agency'' means the following:
(A) Each of the Executive departments.
(B) The Environmental Protection Agency.
(C) The Office of Management and Budget.
(D) The Small Business Administration.
(E) The Social Security Administration.
(F) The National Science Foundation.
(G) The Office of Personnel Management.
(H) The General Services Administration.
(3) Executive departments.--The term ``Executive
departments'' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of
title 5, United States Code.
(4) Plan.--The term ``Plan'' means the Federal Hiring Plan
developed under section 4(a).
(5) Senior executive service position.--The term ``Senior
Executive Service position'' has the meaning given the term in
section 3132(a) of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The people of the United States deserve an excellent
and efficient Federal workforce that attracts the highest
caliber of civil servants committed to achieving the freedom,
prosperity, and democratic rule promoted by the Constitution of
the United States.
(2) As of the date of enactment of this Act, the
appointment practices of the Federal Government are broken,
insular, and outdated and no longer focus on merit, practical
skill, and dedication to the Constitution of the United States.
(3) Appointments in the Federal Government should not be
focused on impermissible factors, such as a commitment to--
(A) illegal racial discrimination under the guise
of ``equity''; or
(B) the invented concept of ``gender identity''
over sex.
(4) Inserting factors described in paragraph (3) into the
Federal appointment process subverts the will of the people of
the United States, puts critical Government functions at risk,
and risks losing the best-qualified candidates.
SEC. 4. FEDERAL HIRING PLAN.
(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Assistant to the President for Domestic
Policy, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management
and Budget, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and the
Administrator, shall develop and submit to the head of each agency a
Federal Hiring Plan that brings to the Federal workforce only highly
skilled people of the United States who are dedicated to the
furtherance of the ideals, values, and interests of the United States.
(b) Contents.--The Plan shall--
(1) prioritize the recruitment, by agencies, of individuals
who are--
(A) committed to--
(i) improving the efficiency of the Federal
Government; and
(ii) upholding the rule of law and the
Constitution of the United States; and
(B) passionate about the ideals of the United
States;
(2) prevent the appointment, by an agency, of any
individual--
(A) based on the race, sex, or religion of the
individual; or
(B) who is unwilling to defend the Constitution of
the United States or faithfully serve the executive
branch of the Federal Government;
(3) implement, to the greatest extent possible, technical
and alternative assessments described in subparagraphs (A) and
(B), respectively, of section 3304(c)(2) of title 5, United
States Code, for use by agencies;
(4) establish that the amount of time to appoint an
individual to a position in an agency shall be less than 80
days, as measured from the date on which the agency first lists
the position;
(5) improve communication with candidates for positions in
agencies to provide greater clarity regarding application
status, timelines, and feedback, including by providing regular
updates on the progress of applications and explanations of
appointment decisions, where appropriate;
(6) integrate modern technology to support the recruitment
and selection process at agencies, including--
(A) through the use of data analytics to identify
trends, gaps, and opportunities with respect to
appointments; and
(B) by leveraging digital platforms to improve
candidate engagement;
(7) ensure that the heads of agencies, or the designees of
those agency heads, are active participants in implementing the
processes established by the Plan throughout the appointment
process;
(8) include particularized a plan for each agency to
improve the allocation of Senior Executive Service positions
within the agency to best facilitate democratic leadership, as
required by law, within the agency; and
(9) provide specific best practices for the human resources
functions within each agency, which the head of each agency
shall implement with advice and recommendations, as
appropriate, from the Administrator.
SEC. 5. ACCOUNTABILITY AND REPORTING.
The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall--
(1) establish clear performance metrics to evaluate the
success of the Plan;
(2) on a regular basis, request analysis from the heads of
agencies in order to perform the evaluations required under
paragraph (1); and
(3) consult with the heads of agencies, labor
organizations, and other stakeholders to monitor progress with
respect to the implementation of the Plan and ensure that the
Plan is meeting the needs of candidates and agencies.
SEC. 6. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act may be construed to
impair or otherwise affect--
(1) the functions of the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or
legislative proposals; or
(2) the functions of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System or the Federal Open Market Committee relating to
the conduct of monetary policy.
(b) Implementation.--This Act shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) No Creation of Rights or Benefits.--This Act is not intended
to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or
procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the
United States, any agency of the United States, any employee of the
United States, any agent of the United States, or any other person.
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