Saving the Civil Service Act
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced
Summary
Keeps most federal jobs in the competitive civil service. This bill would block agencies from reclassifying competitive positions into new excepted categories and would impose strict limits on transfers between service types to protect employee rights and hiring rules.
Show full summary
- Federal employees: It would bar moving competitive-service positions into the excepted service unless they fit Schedules A through E as they existed on September 30, 2020. Employees could not be moved from the competitive service to an excepted schedule without their written consent.
- Agency managers and presidential administrations: Agencies could not move more than the greater of 1 percent of an agency's workforce or 5 employees from competitive to excepted service during a four-year presidential term. Agencies also need prior Office of Personnel Management consent to shift occupied positions into Schedule C.
- Oversight and veterans' positions: The Office of Personnel Management Director would have 90 days to write implementing regulations and agencies must report annually by March 15 listing each transfer, the justification, and any violations. The bill applies to positions under chapters 73 and 74 of title 38 despite 38 U.S.C. 7425(b).
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Limits on moving federal jobs
If enacted, agencies would not be able to except a competitive-service job unless it is in schedules A–E as of Sept. 30, 2020 and follows part 6 rules. Employees would need to give written consent before their occupied job is moved from the competitive service into the excepted service or into a different excepted schedule. Agencies could not move occupied jobs into Schedule C without the OPM Director's prior consent. During any four-year presidential term, an agency could move no more than the greater of 1 percent of its workforce at term start or 5 employees from competitive to excepted service. The bill would also make the rules apply to VA jobs under title 38, require OPM to write implementing rules within 90 days, and require an annual March 15 report listing transfers, justifications, and any violations.
Free Policy Watch
You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.
Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.
Pick a topic to get started
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Chris Van Hollen
MD • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Angus King
ME • I
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Tammy Duckworth
IL • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 1/22/2025
Richard Blumenthal
CT • D
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/4/2026
Charles Schumer
NY • D
Sponsored 3/10/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in