Sen. Blackburn Introduces Federal Freeze Act to Halt Government Hiring and Pay Raises
The Federal Freeze Act is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was recently sent to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for review. The bill is actively moving as it awaits further consideration by the committee.
This bill faces strong opposition from federal worker unions and would likely be blocked in a divided Congress.
This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Nearly all federal civilian employees would be directly affected. The one-year pay freeze eliminates scheduled raises and any pay increases, effectively cutting real wages when inflation is factored in. Beyond the freeze, mandatory workforce reductions of 2 percent by year two and 5 percent by year three mean tens of thousands of federal workers would lose their jobs through reductions in force. Only those in law enforcement, public safety, national security, or emergency response roles would be shielded from the cuts.
“The annual rate of basic pay of an employee, as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, may not be increased.”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
The Federal Freeze Act (H.R. 200) would require a one-year freeze on pay increases for federal employees and direct agencies to cap their workforces over a three-year period, thereby decreasing the size of the federal workforce. It exempts law enforcement and national security roles.
The Federal Freeze Act would prohibit federal agencies from expanding their workforces or raising employee salaries within a year of the bill's enactment. It also requires agencies to cut their workforces by 2% within two years and 5% within three years, with specific safety exemptions.
The Federal Freeze Act, with limited exceptions, would bar federal agencies from expanding their workforces or raising salaries for one year. The bill mandates a workforce reduction of 2 percent in two years and 5 percent in three, aiming to limit government spending and regulatory growth.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Federal Freeze Act
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