Employment Abundance Act

House Votes

This bill aims to open more federal contract jobs to people without four-year degrees. It tells the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to set rules within one year so federal contractors review all their job titles, flag any that require a college degree, and decide if that degree is truly needed to do the work. Contractors then have 180 days after the rules take effect to report which jobs don’t really need a degree and explain how they’ll update those job listings, using options like work experience, certifications, or skills tests instead of a degree.

If a contractor doesn’t follow these rules, they could face penalties, including being blocked from future federal contracts. Contractors can still require a degree when it’s clearly needed for the job or required by law or a license. The new rules apply to contracts signed on or after the rules’ effective date.

• Who is affected: Companies that hold federal contracts and people applying for those jobs.
• What changes: Degree requirements must be reviewed and removed when not necessary; alternatives like experience and certifications should be considered.
• When: Rules must be issued within one year; contractor reports are due 180 days after those rules take effect; the policy applies to new contracts after that effective date.