Sponsors (2)
The bill preserves NOAA jobs and ensures continuity of critical weather, climate, and ocean services through FY2026, at the cost of reduced agency flexibility to adjust staffing and potential near-term added costs to taxpayers if appropriations fall short.
Scientists, researchers and state governments: continue to receive uninterrupted NOAA weather, climate, and ocean services because the bill preserves NOAA workforce capacity through FY2026.
NOAA employees: are protected from layoffs until FY2026, preserving jobs and income continuity for federal staff.
Federal employees and taxpayers: the bill delays agency workforce adjustments even when budget shortfalls require cuts, potentially forcing hiring freezes or furloughs elsewhere.
Taxpayers: could face higher near-term personnel costs if appropriations are delayed or reduced because NOAA must retain staff without matching funding.
NOAA managers and other federal employees: the bill limits flexibility to address performance or mission-fit issues through RIFs, potentially prolonging retention of underperforming or misaligned positions.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Stops NOAA from carrying out RIFs under specified civil-service RIF statutes until full-year FY2026 NOAA appropriations are enacted.
Official title: Institute a reduction in force moratorium at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 31, 2025 by Mazie Hirono · Last progress July 31, 2025
Stops NOAA from carrying out any reductions in force (RIFs) under the civil service RIF statutes through the period before Congress enacts full-year FY2026 appropriations for NOAA. The measure creates a temporary moratorium on RIF actions in addition to other personnel authorities, effectively preserving NOAA jobs until FY2026 funding is passed into law.