Federal Freeze Act

Bill: 119-s-357
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2025-02-03
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Employee hiring

Executive agency funding and structure

Federal officials

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Latest action: action_date: 2025-02-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 357 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 3, 2025 Mrs. Blackburn introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs A BILL To impose restrictions on Federal agencies with respect to appointments, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Federal Freeze Act . 2. Freeze on Federal hiring and salaries (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Agency The term agency has the meaning given the term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code. (2) Baseline number The term baseline number means, with respect to an agency, the number of employees employed by the agency (including individuals occupying full-time equivalent positions in the agency), as of the date of enactment of this Act. (3) Employee The term employee means an employee of an agency. (b) General prohibitions Notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation, during the 1-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the following shall apply: (1) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the head of an agency may not increase the number of employees employed by the agency beyond the baseline number. (B) During the 1-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the head of an agency may appoint an individual to a position within the agency, even if appointing that individual would increase the number of employees employed by the agency beyond the baseline number, if the agency head determines that— (i) making that appointment serves the interest of law enforcement, public safety, or the national security of the United States; or (ii) the individual so appointed is essential to respond to an emergency declared under section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5191 ). (2) The annual rate of basic pay of an employee, as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, may not be increased. (c) Reduction in force (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the head of each agency shall take such measures, without regard to any other provision of law or regulation, to ensure that— (A) as of the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the number of employees employed by the agency is 2 percent less than the baseline number; and (B) as of the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the number of employees employed by the agency is 5 percent less than the baseline number. (2) Exemption An employee who the head of the employing agency determines serves the interest of law enforcement, public safety, or the national security of the United States, or who is essential to respond to an emergency declared under section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5191 ) (as determined by that agency head), shall not apply for the purposes of determining the number of employees employed by that agency under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1).