July 31, 2025
Mr. Heinrich (for himself and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
To institute a reduction in force moratorium at all agencies and bureaus of the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Saving the Department of the Interior's Workforce Act
.
Sec. 2. Reduction in force moratorium at all agencies and bureaus of the Department of the Interior
(a) In general
Until on or after the date that full-year appropriations for the Department of the Interior for fiscal year 2026 have been enacted into law, the Secretary of the Interior may not—
(1)
initiate or implement any reduction in force at any agency or bureau of the Department of the Interior; 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 any agency or bureau of the Department of the Interior 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.