Sponsors (7)
The bill preserves DOI career jobs, due-process protections, and service continuity during an appropriations gap, at the cost of higher near-term personnel expenses and reduced managerial flexibility to reshape or streamline the workforce.
State governments and the public experience continued DOI services because career workforce reductions are blocked during an appropriations gap, reducing disruption to ongoing programs and public-facing operations.
DOI career employees keep their jobs and paychecks because involuntary separations are prohibited until FY2026 appropriations are enacted.
DOI career employees gain stronger due-process protections because any involuntary separation must be supported by findings of misconduct, delinquency, or performance problems.
Taxpayers and budget managers may face higher near-term personnel costs because DOI cannot reduce staff during the funding lapse or before FY2026 appropriations are enacted.
DOI leadership loses flexibility to manage workforce size or reallocate staff in response to changing mission needs or budget constraints during the interim period.
Efforts to implement restructuring or efficiency measures timed before FY2026 appropriations could be complicated or delayed, slowing potential service improvements or cost savings.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Bars DOI from initiating or implementing RIFs or involuntary separations of covered career employees until full-year FY2026 DOI appropriations are enacted, except for removals for cause.
Prevents the Department of the Interior from carrying out workforce reductions until Congress enacts full-year FY2026 appropriations for DOI. The Secretary may not start or implement any reduction-in-force (RIF) or involuntary separations of competitive service employees, career excepted-service employees, or career Senior Executive Service appointees except for removal for cause (misconduct, delinquency, or performance). This restriction lasts only until FY2026 DOI appropriations are enacted.
Official title: To institute a reduction in force moratorium at all agencies and bureaus of the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress August 1, 2025