February 11, 2026
Ms. Ansari (for herself and Mr. Garcia of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
To prohibit certain senior Federal officers or acting officers from carrying out the duties of other Federal positions, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Dual Hatting Limitation Act of 2026
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Sec. 2. Prohibition on certain officers and acting officers from carrying out duties of other Federal positions
(a) Director of Office of Personnel Management
Section 1102(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the first sentence, by striking Director or
; and
(2)
by adding after the period at the end the following: The Director, or any other individual occupying a position in the civil service performing the functions and duties of the office of the Director temporarily in an acting capacity, may not occupy, or carry out the functions or duties of, any other position in the Federal Government.
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(b) Special Counsel
Section 1211(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking the last sentence and inserting the following: The Special Counsel, or any other individual occupying a position in the civil service performing the functions and duties of the office of the Special Counsel temporarily in an acting capacity, may not occupy, or carry out the functions or duties of, any other position in the Federal Government.
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(c) Director of Office of Government Ethics
Section 13121(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: The Director, or any other individual occupying a position in the civil service performing the functions and duties or of the office of the Director temporarily in an acting capacity, may not occupy, or carry out the functions or duties of, any other position in the Federal Government.
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(d) NARA
Section 2103(c) of title 44, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: The Archivist, or any other individual occupying a position in the civil service performing the functions and duties of the office of the Archivist temporarily in an acting capacity, may not occupy, or carry out the functions or duties of, any other position in the Federal Government.
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(e) Federal vacancies
Section 3345(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(d)
Notwithstanding paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a), the President may not direct under either such paragraph any individual to perform the functions and duties of a vacant office temporarily in an acting capacity if such individual is performing the functions and duties of any other office temporarily in an acting capacity.
(f) Positions under level I of Executive Schedule
Any individual occupying a position listed under level I of the Executive Schedule (section 5312 of title 5, United States Code), or any other individual occupying a position in the civil service performing the functions and duties of the office of such position temporarily in an acting capacity, may not occupy, or carry out the functions or duties of, any other position in the Federal Government.