July 31, 2025
Mr. Heinrich (for himself and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
To institute a reduction in force moratorium at the Forest Service, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Saving the Forest Service's Workforce Act
.
Sec. 2. Reduction in force moratorium at the Forest Service
(a) In general
Until on or after the date that full-year appropriations for the Forest Service for fiscal year 2026 have been enacted into law, the Secretary of Agriculture (acting through the Chief of the Forest Service) may not—
(1)
initiate or implement any reduction in force at the Forest Service; or
(2)
conduct an involuntary separation of any employee in the competitive service, any career employee in the excepted service, or any career appointee in the Senior Executive Service of the Forest Service except for cause on charges of misconduct, delinquency, or performance.
(b) Application
For the purposes of carrying out subsection (a)—
(1)
the terms competitive service
, excepted service
, and career appointee
have the meanings given those terms in sections 2102, 2103, and 3132(a), respectively, of title 5, United States Code; and
(2)
such subsection shall be in addition to any other authority with respect to adverse personnel actions, including chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code.