Sponsor
Hillary Scholten
Representative · D-MI
The bill increases the BLS Commissioner's independence and could boost public trust in official labor statistics, but it reduces presidential removal authority and may slow the replacement of an ineffective Commissioner.
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) staff and the BLS Commissioner: the bill gives the Commissioner stronger job protections that insulate leadership from political removal, supporting independent statistical leadership.
General public and users of BLS data (researchers, businesses, policymakers): by insulating the Commissioner from removal without cause, the bill may increase public trust in BLS statistics and perceived impartiality of its reporting.
Taxpayers and the Executive Branch: the bill limits the President's ability to remove the Commissioner for policy or performance reasons, reducing executive control over a federal statistical agency.
Federal employees and taxpayers: strengthened removal protections could make it harder to replace a poorly performing Commissioner, potentially delaying corrective action at the BLS.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Conditions removal of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner on proof of inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.
Representative · D-MI
Adds a removal-protection standard for the Commissioner of Labor Statistics so the Commissioner "may be removed only with proof of inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office." It narrows the President's unrestricted ability to remove the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner, while leaving the Commissioner's four-year appointment term unchanged.
Official title: To provide that the Commissioner of Labor Statistics may be removed only with proof of inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.
Introduced August 8, 2025 by Hillary Scholten · Last progress August 8, 2025