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Washington D.C. – Legislation to block the outgoing administration from politicizing the civil service was introduced in the Senate this week and endorsed by the National Treasury Employees Union. 

The proposal from Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and others would bar agencies from spending money to implement President Trump’s executive order removing basic workplace protections for certain career federal employees. 

“The Schedule F order is a blatant attempt to subject an unknown number of professional, nonpolitical civil servants to the partisan whims of the president, which is a dangerous step backward toward a federal workforce that is hired and fired based on politics, not merit,” said NTEU National President Tony Reardon. “Sen. Peters and other cosponsors are absolutely correct that Congress should do everything in its power to make sure this order is not implemented before President-elect Biden is sworn in.” 

NTEU has already filed a lawsuit against the order, which was signed just days before the presidential election, because it would create a new category of federal employees who are not covered by the basic civil service protections they are entitled to under the law. 

“We urge agency leaders and the White House not to waste any time or taxpayer resources trying to implement an executive order that is surely going to be rescinded by the incoming administration,” Reardon said. “President-elect Biden is committed to protecting the merit-based civil service and running an administration that values the professionalism and expertise of the public servants who work in the executive branch agencies.” 

NTEU represents about 150,000 employees in 33 federal agencies and offices.