# Plain Language Summary: Federal Freeze Act

This bill would freeze federal government hiring and employee pay raises for one year, starting from when the law takes effect. During that year, federal agencies cannot hire new employees beyond the number they currently have, with one important exception: agencies can still hire people if a leader determines it's necessary for law enforcement, public safety, or national security. At the same time, no federal employee can receive a pay raise during this one-year period—their salaries stay exactly where they are.

After that first year ends, the bill requires federal agencies to actually shrink their workforce. Two years after the law takes effect, each agency must have at least 2 percent fewer employees than they currently have. By year three, that number grows to 5 percent fewer employees. This means agencies would need to lay off workers or let positions go unfilled when people retire or leave their jobs.

The practical impact would be significant for federal employees and the services they provide. Federal workers wouldn't get cost-of-living raises for a year, which effectively means their pay loses value as inflation continues. For the public, a smaller federal workforce could mean slower processing times for benefits, longer waits at agencies like the Social Security Administration or Veterans Affairs, and potentially reduced services across government. The exceptions for law enforcement and national security mean those areas could continue hiring, but other departments like environmental protection, education support, or consumer safety could face staffing cuts. The bill essentially uses hiring freezes and workforce reductions as a tool to shrink the size of the federal government.

Federal Freeze Act

Tenney, Claudia

Federal Freeze ActThis 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 when making appointments to positions related to law enforcement, public safety, or national security.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.