I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 916 
To provide for a limitation on the number of civilian employees at the 
Department of Defense, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 8, 2021 
Mr. CALVERT (for himself, Mr. NUNES, and Mr. LAMALFA) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To provide for a limitation on the number of civilian employ-
ees at the Department of Defense, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Rebalance for an Ef-
fective Defense Uniformed and Civilian Employees Act’’ 
or the ‘‘REDUCE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) LIMITATION ON FTES.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the re-
quirements of section 129 of title 10, United States 
Code, and consistent with the requirements of sub-
section (d), in each of fiscal years 2026 through 
2030, the number of full-time equivalent civilian po-
sitions in the Department of Defense may not be 
greater than 85 percent of the number of such posi-
tions at the Department as of September 30, 2021, 
as determined by the Director of the Office of Per-
sonnel Management. 
(2) SES.—Of the positions permitted pursuant 
to paragraph (1) for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 
at the Department of Defense, not more than 1,000 
may be career appointee (as defined in section 
3132(a)(4) of title 5, United States Code) positions 
within the Senior Executive Service. 
(b) VOLUNTARY REDUCTIONS.—To achieve the re-
ductions in personnel required by subsection (a), the Sec-
retary of Defense may exercise the authority provided 
for— 
(1) voluntary separation incentive payments 
(subchapter II of chapter 35 of title 5, United 
States Code); and 
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(2) voluntary early retirement payments (sec-
tions 8336(d)(2)(D) and 8414(b)(1)(B) of such 
title). 
(c) INVOLUNTARY REDUCTIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Beginning on October 1, 
2020, if voluntary reductions are inadequate to 
achieve the limitations provided in subsection (a), 
the Secretary of Defense shall separate employees 
using involuntary measures, including reductions in 
force. 
(2) RIF APPLICATION.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, rule, or regulation, when ap-
plying retention factors with respect to any employee 
during any reduction in force under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary of Defense shall assign greater weight 
to the performance factor over the other factors if 
such employee has a summary rating level of ‘‘fully 
successful’’ or better. 
(d) ADJUSTMENT OF LIMIT.— 
(1) DETERMINATION.—As soon as practicable 
after the start of each of fiscal years 2026 through 
2030, the Secretary of Defense shall determine the 
difference (if any), expressed as a percentage, be-
tween the permanent active duty end strength min-
imum levels in effect under section 691(b) of title 
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10, United States Code, for the current fiscal year 
and the preceding fiscal year. 
(2) ADJUSTMENT.—On the date that the deter-
mination is made under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary shall adjust the limitations provided under 
subsection (a) with respect to the number of total 
full-time equivalent positions and Senior Executive 
Service positions by a percentage equal to the per-
centage determined under paragraph (1). 
(3) ACHIEVEMENT
OF
ADJUSTMENT.—After 
any adjustment under paragraph (2), in order to 
achieve the adjusted limitation for the applicable fis-
cal year, the Secretary (as the case may be)— 
(A) may hire individuals to occupy full- 
time equivalent positions; or 
(B) shall separate employees occupying 
such positions using the involuntary procedures 
provided under subsection (c). 
(4) LIMITATION ON ADJUSTMENT.—No adjust-
ment may be made under this subsection that would 
result in the number of full-time equivalent positions 
and Senior Executive Service positions to be greater 
than the limitations on the number of such positions 
provided under subsection (a). 
(e) REPORTS.— 
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(1) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.—The Secretary 
of Defense— 
(A) shall include a report in the Sec-
retary’s annual budget request for each of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2029 on the progress and 
impact of the requirements of this Act; and 
(B) may, in addition to the report required 
under subparagraph (A), report to Congress on 
the impact of such requirements at any time 
throughout any of such fiscal years. 
(2) GAO.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
of General Services shall submit to Congress a re-
port examining the progress and impact of the re-
quirements of this Act. 
Æ 
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