What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
Federal Freeze Act This bill bars pay raises for federal employees for one year and requires reductions in the number of employees at each federal agency. The bill prohibits agencies from increasing the basic pay of any employee for one year after enactment. Also in that first year, the bill prohibits each federal agency from increasing the number of its employees beyond the number employed on the date of the bill's enactment, except that the agency may increase such number (1) when making appointments to positions related to law enforcement, public safety, or national security; or (2) if the individual so appointed is essential to emergency response under the Stafford Act. (The Stafford Act authorizes the President to issue declarations that provide states, tribes, and localities with a range of federal assistance in response to natural disasters and man-made incidents). Additionally, the bill requires reductions in force such that within three years of the bill's enactment the number of employees at each agency is 5% lower than it was on the date of the bill's enactment. Employees that serve the interest of law enforcement, public safety, or national security or are essential to emergency response under the Stafford Act are not counted for the purposes of determining the number of employees at each agency.
Action Timeline
2025-02-03
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
2025-02-03
Introduced in Senate
Frequently Asked Questions
Did S.357 pass?
S.357 is still alive. Current stage: COMMITTEE. Pass likelihood: 32%.
What does S.357 do?
Federal Freeze Act This bill bars pay raises for federal employees for one year and requires reductions in the number of employees at each federal agency. The bill prohibits agencies from increasing the basic pay of any employee for one year after enactment. Also in that first year, the bill prohibits each federal agency from increasing the number of its employees beyond the number employed on the date of the bill's enactment, except that the agency may increase such number (1) when making appointments to positions related to law enforcement, public safety, or national security; or (2) if the …
Who sponsored S.357?
S.357 was sponsored by Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee).
Full Bill Text
119 S357 IS: Federal Freeze Act U.S. Senate 2025-02-03 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 357 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 3, 2025 Mrs. Blackburn introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs A BILL To impose restrictions on Federal agencies with respect to appointments, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Federal Freeze Act . 2. Freeze on Federal hiring and salaries (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Agency The term agency has the meaning given the term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code. (2) Baseline number The term baseline number means, with respect to an agency, the number of employees employed by the agency (including individuals occupying full-time equivalent positions in the agency), as of the date of enactment of this Act. (3) Employee The term employee means an employee of an agency. (b) General prohibitions Notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation, during the 1-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the following shall apply: (1) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the head of an agency may not increase the number of employees employed by the agency beyond the baseline number. (B) During the 1-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the head of an agency may appoint an individual to a position within the agency, even if appointing that individual would increase the number of employees employed by the agency beyond the baseline number, if the agency head determines that— (i) making that appointment serves the interest of law enforcement, public safety, or the national security of the United States; or (ii) the individual so appointed is essential to respond to an emergency declared under section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5191 ). (2) The annual rate of basic pay of an employee, as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, may not be increased. (c) Reduction in force (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the head of each agency shall take such measures, without regard to any other provision of law or regulation, to ensure that— (A) as of the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the number of employees employed by the agency is 2 percent less than the baseline number; and (B) as of the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the number of employees employed by the agency is 5 percent less than the baseline number. (2) Exemption An employee who the head of the employing agency determines serves the interest of law enforcement, public safety, or the national security of the United States, or who is essential to respond to an emergency declared under section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5191 ) (as determined by that agency head), shall not apply for the purposes of determining the number of employees employed by that agency under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1).
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