BIS STRENGTH Act

Key Points

• Congress is considering a plan to help the Bureau of Industry and Security hire top-tier experts in technology and trade. This agency is responsible for keeping sensitive American technology out of the wrong hands, and they need specialized knowledge to keep up with fast-moving industries.
• The bill would allow the agency to hire up to 25 experts from outside the traditional government hiring system. This makes it easier to recruit people from the private sector who have specific skills that are currently missing within the government workforce.
• To attract these highly skilled workers, the agency would be allowed to offer higher pay than most government jobs. While the pay would be more competitive with private companies, it cannot be higher than what the Vice President of the United States earns.
• These experts would be hired for up to five years, with a possible one-year extension if it helps national security. This ensures the government gets the help it needs for specific projects without making these high-paying roles permanent lifetime positions.
• The agency must report to Congress every year about who they are hiring and how these experts are helping protect the country. Even though the hiring process is faster, all new hires must still pass the same background checks as any other government employee.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.