Sponsors (4)
The bill protects shipyard jobs, training pipelines, and naval readiness by exempting key shipyard positions from hiring freezes, but does so at the cost of reduced DoD workforce flexibility, potential higher taxpayer expenses, and added administrative burdens.
Naval forces and the American public — helps preserve continuity of skilled shipyard labor (radiological technicians, engineers, apprentices, welders, pipefitters, shipfitters, mechanics, etc.), supporting timely maintenance, refueling, and operational readiness of naval vessels.
Public shipyard workers — protects jobs and incomes by exempting a broad set of shipyard positions from hiring freezes and layoffs tied to spending cuts or reprogramming.
Local governments, shipyards, and workers — helps maintain staff needed to implement the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP), protecting planned infrastructure investments and associated jobs.
Taxpayers and Department of Defense budget managers — constraining the ability to impose hiring freezes increases the likelihood of higher DoD personnel expenses, raising costs borne by taxpayers when budgets are tight.
Federal employees and military leadership — broad protections limit the Secretary of Defense's flexibility to reallocate personnel and prioritize force needs during tight budgetary situations, potentially delaying higher-priority actions or transfers.
Federal HR managers and performance-accountability systems — rigid exemptions could preserve underperforming positions absent invoking misconduct/performance procedures, creating additional administrative burden and potential morale or performance issues.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits hiring freezes and workforce reductions at public naval shipyards for a broad set of shipyard roles while preserving removal authority for misconduct or poor performance.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Jeanne Shaheen · Last progress August 1, 2025
Prevents federal hiring freezes and workforce reductions at public naval shipyards for a broad set of shipyard roles (welders, pipefitters, shipfitters, technicians, engineers, apprentices, mechanics, painters, blasters, and positions supporting maintenance, nuclear work, workforce pipelines, and a shipyard infrastructure program). Preserves the Department of Defense’s existing authority to remove or discipline personnel for misconduct or poor performance under current procedures.