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Limits on Federal Hiring: Ending the Patronage System

This act aims to limit the ability to hire individuals for federal positions without open competition. It ensures that most civil service positions are filled based on qualifications, not connections. This gives citizens greater confidence that officials are selected fairly and competently.
Key points
The act restricts the ability to exempt positions from the competitive service, meaning fewer jobs will be filled outside standard competitive procedures.
All new exemptions must comply with rules in effect before September 30, 2020, preventing the creation of new, non-standard hiring paths.
The goal is to ensure federal employment is based on merit, not personal connections.
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VOTING RESULTS
2022-09-15
52%
For 225
Against 204
Abstain 0
Full voting results open_in_new
Expired
Citizen Poll
No votes cast
Additional Information
Print number: 117_HR_302
Sponsor: Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]
Process start date: 2021-01-13
Voting date: 2022-09-15
Meeting no: 2
Voting no: 432