Bills would halt Interior, Forest Service firings

It’s unclear whether any Republicans will join Democrats on the legislation.
Top Democrats on the House and Senate energy, natural resources and agriculture committees introduced bills to halt planned firings at the Interior Department, the Forest Service and the Department of Energy.
The bills, introduced Monday, aim to place a moratorium on any reduction in force (RIF) at the agencies while Congress reviews their staffing needs. The bills come after months of turmoil stemming from the Trump administration's efforts to cull the federal workforce.
The House bills are being led by Natural Resources ranking member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Science, Space and Technology ranking member Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.).
In the Senate, the bills are being led by Energy and Natural Resources ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Environment and Public Works ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Agriculture ranking member Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
“The Trump administration is firing the public servants who protect lives and communities by helping to battle deadly wildfires, tracking extreme weather events, and keeping water clean and public lands accessible,” Huffman said in a statement.
“These dedicated professionals, and all Americans, deserve better. If Congress doesn’t step in to stop this purge, the fallout will last generations,” he said.
The Democrats say the Trump administration’s layoffs will end up costing the American public rather than saving money.
"Firing our scientists, engineers, and land management professionals does not save us money — it makes our government less efficient, costs taxpayers more in the long run, and weakens our nation’s security and competitiveness,” Heinrich said.
Democrats for months have railed against the Trump administration's moves to cut the federal workforce, including the Department of Government Efficiency initiative that placed troves of workers on administrative leave and shuttered offices across the country.
Thousands of employees also retired or took buyouts, while employees who remain at the agencies are awaiting more detailed RIF plans from the administration.
Some Republicans, too, have expressed trepidation with the layoffs and other actions at odds with congressional intent. But it’s unclear whether any will sign on with Democrats to unilaterally block the administration from executing its RIF plans.