FAST Justice Act
Sponsored By: Senator Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced
Summary
Gives federal employees and job applicants a right to sue in U.S. district court if the Merit Systems Protection Board has not acted within 120 days. This creates a backup path to speed relief when the Board delays.
Show full summary
- Employees and applicants: They could file a civil action in a U.S. district court after 120 days if MSPB has not acted. Venue can be where the personnel action occurred or where the employee would have worked.
- Merit Systems Protection Board: MSPB must stay the appeal once a civil action is filed. If the civil action is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, MSPB resumes processing the appeal.
- Agencies and respondents: Courts must apply the same standards MSPB would have used to decide the personnel action. If a respondent lacks personal jurisdiction in those districts, the suit can be filed where the respondent’s principal office is located.
- Appeals and procedure: A district court decision in these cases is appealed to the court of appeals for that judicial district.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Faster court access for federal employees
If enacted, this bill would let you sue in U.S. district court if you filed an MSPB appeal and MSPB has not taken a reviewable action after 120 days. This would not apply to appeals covered by 5 U.S.C. 7702. The district court case would be limited to the personnel action you appealed. You could file in the district where the action happened, where you would have worked, or, if the respondent lacks jurisdiction there, where the respondent's main office is located. MSPB would have to pause (stay) its appeal when you file the court case and resume processing if the court dismisses for lack of jurisdiction. The district court would apply the MSPB standard of review only to MSPB orders or decisions and would use the same standard MSPB would have used for other determinations. You could appeal the district court decision to the federal court of appeals under 28 U.S.C. 1291.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Gary Peters
MI • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 11/18/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov