ATL Standard

Congresswoman Nikema Williams, alongside Representatives McClain Delaney, Jennifer McClellan, and Jamie Raskin, has introduced two legislative proposals aimed at protecting federal workers and agencies. The bills, identified as the SERVICE Act and the Ensuring Agency Service Quality Act, respond to concerns about the impacts of the Trump administration's policies on federal employees.

The SERVICE Act aims to prevent government agencies from reducing their workforce by more than 5% in a single fiscal year without first conducting a comprehensive impact analysis. This analysis would assess the potential effects on the agency's mission, with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewing the evaluation's accuracy.

In tandem, the Ensuring Agency Service Quality Act proposes amending the existing authority for government employment from 'may employ' to '*shall* employ'. It stipulates that agencies must justify any failure or refusal to comply with employment requirements.

Congresswoman Williams emphasized the importance of these measures, linking the bills to the challenges faced by federal workers under the Trump administration. "Since Trump took office, our federal workers have faced scrutiny, wage insecurity, public doxxing, and wrongful terminations," Williams stated. She highlighted the importance of maintaining a "properly functioning" federal system, warning of threats to sectors such as veterans' services, public health, and national security due to administrative actions against federal agencies.

Rep. McClain Delaney echoed Williams' sentiment, noting the critical nature of these legislative initiatives. "No agency should be allowed to slash its workforce without fully understanding the consequences for its mission." Delaney stated that these efforts are essential to ensuring that "our government works for the American people."

Supporting the proposals, Rep. McClellan called for action to protect civil servants, describing them as "the backbone of a government that serves the people, not political whims." She advocated for the passage of these bills to protect the federal workforce.

Rep. Raskin criticized the actions of President Trump and Elon Musk, accusing them of dismantling essential services. Raskin referred to DOGE as "a demolition crew" threatening services on which families depend, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to work with Congresswoman Williams on these legislative efforts.

The full texts of the SERVICE Act and the Ensuring Agency Service Quality Act, along with supporting documentation, are available for public review. The American Federation of Government Employees has issued a letter supporting the proposed legislation.