Introduced in House — H.R. 8523

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8523

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 27, 2026

Mr. Neguse (for himself and Mr. Huffman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To prohibit any reduction in force or involuntary separation at the Department of the Interior and the United States Forest Service, and for other purposes.

Section 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Public Lands Workforce Stability Act.

Sec. 2. Prohibition on reductions in force and involuntary separations at Department of the Interior and United States Forest Service

(a) Prohibition

During the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on September 30, 2030, without prior notification and approval of the chairs and ranking members of the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, no Federal funds may be obligated or expended to—

(1)

initiate, implement, or otherwise carry out a reduction in force within the Department of the Interior or the United States Forest Service; or

(2)

carry out an involuntary separation of any employee in the competitive service, any career employee in the excepted service, or any career appointee in the Senior Executive Service at the Department of Interior or the United States Forest Service except for cause on charges of misconduct, delinquency, or performance.

(b) Definitions

In subsection (a), the terms competitive service, excepted service, and career appointee have the meaning given those terms in sections 2102, 2103, and 3132(a), respectively, of title 5, United States Code.