January 3, 2025
Ms. Tenney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
To impose restrictions on Federal agencies with respect to appointments, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Federal Freeze Act
.
Sec. 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 making that appointment serves the interest of law enforcement, public safety, or the national security of the United States.
(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
The head of each agency shall take such measures, without regard to any other provision of law or regulation, to ensure that—
(1)
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
(2)
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.