2023: Schweikert Voted To Require Skills-Based Assessments And Resumé Reviews By Subject Matter Experts. In January 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted for the Chance to Compete Act of 2023, which would "modify hiring procedures for federal civil service positions. It would establish that, beginning two years after enactment, examinations for applicants must include a skills-based assessment and a resume review by a subject matter expert, and may not solely include a self-assessment or determination of an individual's educational attainment. It would allow agencies to seek waivers of the requirement through the Office of Personnel Management for no more than 10 percent of the agency's hired positions in a fiscal year. Among other provisions, it would require OPM to review the examinations for all positions that currently have a minimum educational requirement related to the role's scientific, technical or professional responsibilities to determine if the requirement is justified and, within two years of enactment, eliminate the use of any examinations that do not meet the bill's updated requirements. It would require OPM to create various online tools, including to share the resumes of individuals certified to be eligible for a specified position with other agencies; list information on positions with a minimum educational requirement; and publicly share information on the types of assessments used for each civil service position. It would require OPM to regularly update guidance for the appropriate use of hiring records systems at federal departments and agencies." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 422 to 2, thus the bill was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 32, 1/24/23; Congressional Quarterly, 1/24/23; Congressional Actions, H.R. 159]
The Bill Would Enhance Skill-Based Recruiting In Federal Hiring Practices. According to the Federal Times, "The House passed a bill late Tuesday bolstering the use of skills-based recruiting in an effort to tune up federal hiring practices. The Chance to Compete Act, introduced by Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, passed 422-2." [Federal Times, 1/25/23]
The Bill Would Target Hiring Through Subject-Matter Expert Interviews And Skills Assessments, Which Would Lower Reliance On Paper Credentials. According to the Federal Times, "The bipartisan legislation attempts to make hiring more targeted through subject-matter expert interviews and skills tests. Such tools can reduce reliance on paper credentials and whittle down applicant pools for hiring managers, thereby saving time and ensuring candidates are truly a good match for the work." [Federal Times, 1/25/23]
The Bill Was Built On The Guidance From The Trump Administration's Practices To Meet Worker Needs Through Merit-Based Methods That Reflect Self-Education And Advancement Without A Traditional College Degree. According to the Federal Times, "The measure builds on guidance from the Trump administration, which prodded agencies to consider meeting employment needs through merit-based methods that reflect the modern job candidate who can self-educate and advance without a traditional college degree. Between 2009 and 2020, total undergraduate enrollment decreased by 9%, and while matriculation is expected to increase into 2030, it will only be by about 8%, the National Center for Education Statistics predicts." [Federal Times, 1/25/23]
The Bill Would Provide Subject Matter Experts A Role In Developing Skills Test And Determining Passing Evaluations, And Streamline Agency Sharing Of Tests Through An Online Platform. According to the Federal Times, "The bill would give topic experts a role in brainstorming skills tests and determining passing scores. The legislation would also streamline agency sharing of assessments through an online platform where offices can customize the tests." [Federal Times, 1/25/23]
2022: Schweikert Voted Against Limiting Federal Employee Reclassifications By Prohibiting Exemption Of Competitive Service Positions From Competitive Service Unless They Were Placed In Schedules A Through E, And Against Effectively Prohibiting The Reinstatement Of The Trump Administration's "Schedule F." In September 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted against the Preventing a Patronage System Act of 2021, which would "limit federal employee reclassifications by specifying that competitive service positions may not be excepted from the competitive service unless they are placed in one of five existing schedules of excepted positions, Schedules A through E, as in effect on Sept. 30, 2020. It would prohibit the creation of new excepted service schedules not in effect by that date, effectively prohibiting the reinstatement of 'Schedule F,' which was created in October 2020 but never implemented and would include policy-related positions that are not normally subject to change due to presidential transition." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 225-204. The Senate did not take substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 432, 9/15/22; Congressional Quarterly, 9/15/22; Congressional Actions, H.R. 302]
The Bill Would Have Essentially Banned The Reinstatement Of Schedule F, Which Was Never Implemented And Would Have Included Policy-Related Positions That Were Not Subject To Change Due To Presidential Transition. According to Congressional Quarterly, "It would prohibit the creation of new excepted service schedules not in effect by that date, effectively prohibiting the reinstatement of 'Schedule F,' which was created in October 2020 but never implemented and would include policy-related positions that are not normally subject to change due to presidential transition." [Congressional Quarterly, 9/15/22]
The Bill Would Have Prevented Future Presidents From Stripping Federal Workers Of Their Civil Service Protections, Which President Trump Sought To Do. According to Government Executive, "The House on Thursday voted 225-204 to pass legislation barring future presidents from unilaterally stripping federal workers of their civil service protections as former President Trump tried to do with his abortive establishment of Schedule F. Six Republican members voted in favor of the bill." [Government Executive, 9/15/22]
October 2020: President Trump Signed An Executive Order That Established Schedule F Within The Federal Government's Excepted Service And Directed Federal Agencies To Transfer Federal Employees In Policy Positions Into New Categories, Effectively Removing Their Civil Service Protections And Making Them At-Will Workers. According to Government Executive, "In October 2020, Trump signed an executive order establishing Schedule F, a new classification within the federal government's excepted service, and instructed federal agencies to identify and transfer career federal workers in policy-related positions into the new job category, stripping them of their civil service protections and making them effectively at-will employees. But the administration was ultimately unable to implement the edict before Trump left office, and President Biden quickly rescinded the measure." [Government Executive, 9/15/22]
The Bill Prevented Presidents From Re-Implementing Schedule F Or Any Other Excepted Schedule Category Of Workers Without Congressional Approval. According to Government Executive, "The Preventing a Patronage System Act (H.R. 302), introduced by Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., blocks the president from reimplementing Schedule F, or any other new excepted schedule category of workers, without advanced congressional approval." [Government Executive, 9/15/22]
Conservative Activities And Ex-Trump Staffers Expressed Plans To Revive Schedule F Under The Next Republican Administration. According to Government Executive, "The renewed focus on the issue by congressional Democrats comes after reports that conservative activists and ex-Trump administration staffers have plans to immediately revive Schedule F under the next Republican president and have already identified 50,000 employees to threaten with termination. Trump, who is mulling another run at the White House, also explicitly endorsed the idea during a political rally last month." [Government Executive, 9/15/22]
The Bill Received Support From The National Active And Retired Federal Employees Association, The American Federation Of Government Employees, The National Treasury Employees Union, The Senior Executives Association, And Professional Managers Association. According to Government Executive, "The bill has the support of dozens of good government organizations and federal employee groups, including the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, the American Federation of Government Employees, the National Treasury Employees Union, the Senior Executives Association, Professional Managers Association, among others." [Government Executive, 9/15/22]
2023: Schweikert Voted To Require Federal Agencies To Re-Implement Their Pre-COVID-19 Telework Policies And Prohibit Federal Agencies From Increasing Remote Work Unless Agencies Argue That Expanded Virtual Work Would Help Performance Or Substantially Lower Costs. In February 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted for the Stopping Home Office Work's Unproductive Problems (SHOW UP) Act, which would "require federal agencies, within 30 days of enactment, to reinstate their telework policies and practices that were in place on Dec. 31, 2019. It would prohibit agencies from increasing telework unless they submit a plan to Congress, certified by the Office of Personnel Management, stating that the expansion will have a "substantial positive effect" on agency performance or substantially lower costs. It would also require each agency to submit to Congress, within six months of enactment, a study on how expanded telework during the pandemic impacted the agency and its mission." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 221 to 206, thus the bill was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 103, 2/1/23; Congressional Quarterly, 2/1/23; Congressional Actions, H.R. 139]
2023: Schweikert Effectively Voted For The Stopping Home Office Work's Unproductive Problems Act, Which Would Restrict Remote Work For Federal Workers. In January 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted for the "adoption of the rule (H Res 75) that would provide for floor consideration of [...] the Stopping Home Office Work's Unproductive Problems (SHOW UP) Act (HR 139)." The vote was on the adoption of the rule. The House adopted the rule by a vote of 216 to 208. [House Vote 96, 1/31/23; Congressional Quarterly, 1/31/23; Congressional Actions, H.R. 139; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 75]
2023: Schweikert Effectively Voted For The Stopping Home Office Work's Unproductive Problems Act, Which Would Restrict Remote Work For Federal Workers. In January 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted for the "motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on the rule (H Res 75) that would provide for floor consideration of [...] the Stopping Home Office Work's Unproductive Problems (SHOW UP) Act (HR 139)." The vote was on a motion to order the previous question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 218 to 209. [House Vote 95, 1/31/23; Congressional Quarterly, 1/31/23; Congressional Actions, H.R. 139; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 75]
2022: Schweikert Voted Against Expanding Whistleblower Protections For Federal Workers By Prohibiting Retaliation Against Whistleblowers And Protecting The Identity Of The Whistleblower. In September 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted against the Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act of 2021, which would "expand whistleblower protections for federal employees. The bill would elaborate on federal employees' right to petition or furnish information to Congress and prohibit other federal employees from interfering with, denying or retaliating against the exercise of this right. It would prohibit retaliation against employees who disclose violations of law to their supervisors and expand the list of prohibited retaliatory personnel actions to include investigations or adverse actions related to an employee's security clearance or other access. It would prohibit the disclosure of the identity of an actual or suspected whistleblower and allow individuals to seek corrective action from the Merit Systems Protection Board with respect to violations of the prohibition. It would specify that the MSPB may stay personnel actions if there is a 'substantial likelihood' that whistleblowing activity was a contributing factor and allow applicants to appeal a decision to deny a stay within seven days of the denial. It would allow individuals seeking corrective action from the MSPB with respect to whistleblower retaliation to bring a case in federal district court if the board does not reach a decision within 180 days. If an employee prevails in such cases, it would require the agency responsible to pay the employee's attorney fees. Among other provisions, the bill would allow the Office of Special Council to refer matters related to misconduct within an inspector general office to the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency; require each federal inspector general to establish a mechanism to receive anonymous whistleblower information that does not include the use of computer or telephone systems; and expand whistleblower protections to Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officers." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 221-203. The Senate did not take substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 437, 9/15/22; Congressional Quarterly, 9/15/22; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2988]