Overview

Title

To impose restrictions on Federal agencies with respect to appointments, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

The bill is like a rule saying "no extra toys for now" to the government workers, meaning they can't hire more people or give raises for a year unless there's a special emergency. After that, they have to let some people go to make sure they have fewer workers over the next few years.

Summary AI

S. 357 is a bill that aims to limit the hiring and salary increases of federal agency employees. For one year after the bill is enacted, agencies cannot increase their number of employees beyond a certain baseline, except for law enforcement, public safety, or national security reasons, or in response to declared emergencies. Employee salaries also cannot increase during this period. Additionally, the bill mandates that agencies reduce their workforce by 2% within two years and 5% within three years, with certain important positions exempted from these reductions.

Published

2025-02-03
Congress: 119
Session: 1
Chamber: SENATE
Status: Introduced in Senate
Date: 2025-02-03
Package ID: BILLS-119s357is

Keywords AI

federal hiring freeze salary restrictions employee reduction government agency staffing national security exemptions law enforcement exemptions public safety exemptions declared emergencies workforce reduction federal freeze act

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
2
Words:
689
Pages:
4
Sentences:
16

Language

Nouns: 217
Verbs: 46
Adjectives: 23
Adverbs: 3
Numbers: 27
Entities: 40

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.06
Average Sentence Length:
43.06
Token Entropy:
4.67
Readability (ARI):
22.78

AnalysisAI

Summary of the Bill

The bill, introduced in the U.S. Senate as S. 357, is titled the "Federal Freeze Act." Its primary aim is to restrict federal agencies from increasing their workforce and salaries for a specific timeframe. Specifically, the bill prohibits agencies from employing more staff than they had at the time of the act's enactment for one year, with some exceptions. It also sets requirements for agencies to reduce their workforce within two to three years after enactment. These measures are in response to perceived overexpansion and financial management concerns within the federal workforce.

Significant Issues

One of the notable issues raised by the bill's provisions is the broad definition of "employee." It is unclear whether this includes contractors and temporary workers, which could lead to differences in how agencies apply the restrictions. Additionally, the exemptions allowed for reasons such as national security, law enforcement, public safety, or emergency responses lack transparent criteria or oversight. This vagueness might open the door for inconsistent application, possibly undermining the bill's intention.

The reduction in force by specified percentages—2% within two years and 5% within three years—poses another problem. These reductions are mandated without evaluating the essential functions or the potential impact on agency performance. This could potentially lead to understaffing, hindering effective government operations and risking the loss of crucial personnel.

Impact on the Public

From a public perspective, this bill's impact may vary. On the one hand, the restriction could limit the growth of government spending on salaries, aligning with fiscal responsibility goals. On the other hand, the potentially negative effects of workforce cuts could delay public services or reduce their quality, affecting citizens who rely on efficient federal agencies.

Impact on Stakeholders

The bill's implications for federal employees are significant. Current employees might face increased job insecurity due to the mandated reductions, potentially leading to morale issues. Those in roles essential to national security, law enforcement, or emergency response may find reassurance in the noted exemptions. However, without clear criteria for these exceptions, there is uncertainty about who qualifies.

Moreover, federal agencies themselves might struggle to maintain operations efficiently if the workforce reductions occur too quickly or without a strategic assessment. This challenge places additional pressure on agency leaders to make difficult decisions about resource allocation.

For contractors and temporary workers, the ambiguity regarding their status under this bill could result in uncertain employment conditions, depending on how the bill is interpreted across different agencies.

In conclusion, while the "Federal Freeze Act" aims to control government growth and spending, it raises various practical and logistical concerns. Careful consideration and possible amendments may be necessary to address the identified issues, ensuring that the intent to streamline government operations does not inadvertently diminish agency performance and public service delivery.

Issues

  • The requirement for a reduction in force by specific percentages (2% in two years, 5% in three years) without an assessment of essential functions or impact on agency performance (Section 2). This could lead to understaffing and a loss of essential personnel, potentially reducing the effectiveness of government agencies.

  • The broad definition of 'employee' potentially leads to ambiguity regarding whether contractors or temporary workers are included (Section 2). Such ambiguity could lead to confusion and inconsistent application across different agencies.

  • The allowance for exemptions based on 'interest of law enforcement, public safety, or the national security of the United States' lacks clear criteria or oversight mechanisms (Section 2). This broad exemption could result in arbitrary decisions and possible exploitation, undermining the intended restrictions.

  • The exemption based on responding to declared emergencies lacks specific criteria or definitions for 'emergency' (Section 2). This could allow for broad interpretation and potential loopholes, contradicting the intention of the hiring freeze.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The first section of this bill declares that it can be referred to as the "Federal Freeze Act."

2. Freeze on Federal hiring and salaries Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section outlines restrictions on federal hiring and salaries, prohibiting agencies from increasing the number of employees beyond a set baseline for one year, with exceptions for roles critical to law enforcement, public safety, national security, or emergencies. It also mandates a reduction in agency employees by specified percentages over two and three years, excluding positions essential for those same critical functions.