# 119-s-591: Restore Merit to Government Service Act of 2025

119-s-591, Restore Merit to Government Service Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL] (R-FL); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-591
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-591
- Congress: 119
- Title: Restore Merit to Government Service Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-02-13
- Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL] (R-FL)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**Merit-based federal hiring** is the bill's core aim. It would require a government-wide Federal Hiring Plan to speed appointments, raise technical standards, and increase agency accountability. - Job candidates would get clearer timelines, regular status updates, and explanations of decisions, and the Plan would set a target that appointments occur in less than 80 days from when a position is first listed. - Agency human resources teams would be pushed to use technical and alternative assessments, modern hiring technology, and data analytics to screen and engage candidates. - Heads of agencies or their designees must be active in hiring and each agency would be asked to improve how Senior Executive Service positions are allocated to support democratic leadership. - The Director of the Office of Personnel Management would set performance metrics, request regular analyses from agency heads, and consult agency leaders, labor organizations, and other stakeholders to monitor progress. The bill also directs that appointments should not be made based on race, sex, or religion and expresses concern about prioritizing a concept described as "gender identity" over sex within appointment practices.

## Cosponsors (3)

- Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] (R-TN), 2025-02-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS] (R-MS), 2025-02-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL] (R-AL), 2025-02-13T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- New federal hiring plan and deadlines: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would require a Federal Hiring Plan within 120 days for listed agencies (executive departments, EPA, OMB, SBA, SSA, NSF, OPM, and GSA). The Plan would push agencies to hire highly skilled U.S. applicants, try to fill posted jobs within 80 days, use modern recruiting tech and da…
- OMB and Federal Reserve powers unchanged: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would state that nothing in it may be read to change OMB's budget or administrative duties or the Federal Reserve's power to conduct monetary policy.
- No private right to sue the government: cost, low. If enacted, the bill would say it does not create any right or benefit that a person could enforce in court against the United States, its agencies, or employees. People and groups could not bring enforcement claims based only on this Act.

## Related bills

- 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-3752: SAVE America Act
- 119-s-5025: Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026
- 119-s-2907: Chloe Cole Act
- 119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-591 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/591)

## Related
- [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-3752: SAVE America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3752)
- [119-s-5025: Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5025)
- [119-s-2907: Chloe Cole Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2907)
- [119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1241)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-591 (as of 2025-12-21).