Should Congress provide employment protections to civil service employees in the federal government?

Government Operations (e.g., Election Laws)
Preventing a Patronage System Act (H.R. 302)
This bill has Passed the House of Representatives
Bill Summary

This bill aims to protect federal civil service employees from being easily fired when a new administration enters the White House. The sponsors created this bill in response to an executive order from President Trump, placing these jobs in a new schedule in the excepted service with no employment protections. The bill prevents employees in the competitive service working in jobs tied to "policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating" from losing employment protections. Sponsor: Representative Gerald E. Connolly (Democrat, Virginia, District 11)
View full bill text ➔

How do you feel?

You can still save your opinion to your scorecard, but since the vote has already taken place, your opinion won't be sent to your lawmakers.
Oppose Support

Opponents say

•     "This legislation rashly eliminates the ability of future presidents to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the civil service by establishing new categories of excepted service positions. This bill is not justified by either recent experience or by the original purposes of the merit-based civil service. On the contrary, experience during the Trump Administration shows that the creation of new excepted service schedules can be critical to ensure civil servants impartially and dutifully serve all presidential administrations. That is the very purpose of the merit-based civil service." Source: Rep. James Comer (Republican, Kentucky, District 1)


•     "The bottom line is that the voters elect the President, and then the President nominates administration officials to implement the policy that the voters have elected the President to implement. When career officials resist implementing those mandates, then they are, in effect, resisting the voters." Source: Rep. Jody Hice (Republican, Georgia, District 10)

Proponents say

•     "Congress has a responsibility to protect our civil service from returning to a failed patronage system. Our legislation will ensure no administration pursues a path that would allow the hiring of political cronies and allies at the expense of expertise and maintains protections for civil servants so they cannot be fired for standing up to political pressure." Source: Rep. Gerald Connolly (Democrat, Virginia, District 11) 


•     "Employment in the federal workforce should 100% be based on merit, skill, and experience, not on political connections. Executive Order 13957 undermines the hard work and dedication of so many career federal workers, who are dedicated to sound, evidence-based policymaking. I am proud to introduce the Preventing a Patronage System Act, to make sure that our dedicated civil servants who have put in years of merit-based service are not undercut by patronage and political considerations. By strongly supporting experienced civil servants, we will protect merit system principles, which ensure the fairer recruitment of qualified individuals and a more competent, efficient government to help all Americans." Source: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Republican, Pennsylvania, District 1)

Further Reading
−  Less Information
Next Bill >

IssueVoter is a non-partisan civic engagement platform.

Sign up to make your voice count before laws pass and keep your lawmaker accountable.

  • Get alerts about bills before they pass.
  • See summaries, pros/cons, and recent news for each bill.
  • Send your opinion in 1-click.
  • Track your rep’s activity year-round.
  • Make a more informed decision at election time.
Register