Sponsors (2)
The bill keeps Hatch Act enforcement active during shutdowns—protecting impartial government operations and federal-employee oversight—at the cost of increased spending and creating a precedent for expanding 'emergency' exceptions to furlough rules.
Federal employees who investigate and enforce the Hatch Act (OSC investigators and staff) can continue handling complaints and enforcement during a federal shutdown, preserving oversight and continuity of enforcement.
Continuing OSC operations during a shutdown helps preserve protections against partisan political activity by federal employees, supporting impartial government operations and employees' rights under the Hatch Act.
Allowing OSC staff to work or be paid during shutdowns creates a precedent for declaring more work 'emergency' and may encourage other agencies to seek similar exceptions, weakening shutdown leverage and expanding exceptions to furlough rules.
Paying or enabling OSC staff to work during shutdowns increases emergency or contingency spending during shutdown periods, which could impose additional costs on taxpayers and draw public scrutiny.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced November 10, 2025 by Herbert C. Conaway · Last progress November 10, 2025
Treats services by Office of Special Counsel (OSC) staff that relate to investigating alleged violations of the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 7323 and 7324) as emergency work for purposes of the lapse-of-appropriations exception in 31 U.S.C. § 1342. That reclassification allows those specific OSC activities to continue during a government shutdown under the existing emergency exception.