Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 302 - Preventing a Patronage System Act

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House Rules)
(Rep. Connolly, D-VA, and 16 cosponsors)

The Administration supports H.R. 302, to prohibit certain Federal employee reclassification from the competitive to the excepted service, which unduly subjects public servants to political retaliation and job insecurity. On Day One of the Administration, the President issued Executive Order 14003 (Protecting the Federal Workforce), eliminating the Schedule F excepted service category, issued during the previous Administration, that undermines the foundations of the civil service and core protections for career civil servants. These career civil servants provide unbiased expertise and experience. The American people rely upon this expertise for program administration and delivery of services necessary for the functioning of the Federal government. This bipartisan legislation would codify the intent of that Executive Order by seeking to ensure that employment in the Federal workforce is based on merit, skill, and experience, and is not subject to politicization or favoritism. The bill would help preserve Federal employee due process rights and civil service protections, while also preventing any administration from firing qualified experts and replacing them with political loyalists.

The Administration looks forward to working with Congress to take additional steps to protect employees in the Federal civil service through H.R. 302, as it proceeds through the legislative process.