Sponsors (8)
The bill preserves Forest Service employees' jobs and due-process protections in the short term, at the cost of higher near-term personnel expenses and reduced managerial flexibility that can harm service delivery and may lead to larger, concentrated cuts later.
Forest Service competitive and career employees are protected from involuntary separations until FY2026 appropriations are enacted, preserving their jobs and pay in the near term.
Forest Service workers keep due-process protections because separations are limited to for-cause reasons and existing adverse action authorities remain applicable.
Rural communities and local governments may experience degraded service delivery or need to cope with temporary reassignments because the Forest Service will have less ability to adjust workforce size for emergency or operational needs.
Taxpayers and agency managers may face higher personnel costs and reduced flexibility to cut or reallocate staff if appropriations are delayed, potentially sustaining positions that cannot be funded.
If appropriations ultimately require workforce reductions, delaying adjustments could concentrate separations later and cause larger, more disruptive cuts for employees when they occur.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Temporarily bars Forest Service RIFs and involuntary separations of career employees except for cause until full-year FY2026 Forest Service appropriations are enacted.
Prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture (through the Forest Service Chief) from carrying out any reduction in force or involuntary separation of Forest Service competitive-service employees, career excepted-service employees, or career SES appointees except for cause (misconduct, delinquency, or performance) until full-year FY2026 Forest Service appropriations are enacted into law. The prohibition defers layoffs and involuntary separations for covered career employees during the period before FY2026 Forest Service appropriations are finalized.
Official title: To institute a reduction in force moratorium at the Forest Service, and for other purposes.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress August 1, 2025