Sponsors (8)
The bill protects Forest Service employees' jobs and due process in the near term, but does so by restricting management flexibility and increasing short‑term costs, which could degrade service delivery and concentrate tougher workforce cuts later if appropriations fall short.
Forest Service competitive and career employees will keep their jobs and income because the bill bars involuntary separations and layoffs for those staff until FY2026 appropriations are enacted.
Forest Service employees facing potential removal retain due‑process protections because separations are limited to for‑cause reasons (misconduct, delinquency, performance) and existing adverse action authorities remain in place.
Taxpayers and agency managers may face higher personnel costs and reduced flexibility to cut staffing if appropriations are delayed, potentially preserving positions that cannot be funded.
Rural communities, local governments, and Forest Service beneficiaries could experience degraded service delivery or slower emergency/operational response because the agency's ability to adjust workforce size is constrained.
Forest Service employees may face larger, more concentrated workforce reductions later if appropriations ultimately require cuts after the moratorium, increasing disruption and uncertainty.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Bars the Agriculture Secretary/Forest Service from implementing RIFs or involuntary separations of career Forest Service employees except for cause until full-year FY2026 Forest Service appropriations are enacted.
Prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture (through the Forest Service Chief) from starting or carrying out any reduction in force or involuntary separations of Forest Service competitive-service employees, career excepted-service employees, or career senior executive service appointees except for misconduct, delinquency, or poor performance. The restriction lasts until full-year FY2026 Forest Service appropriations have been enacted into law.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress August 1, 2025