Washington D.C. (February 20, 2025) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) issued the following statement applauding U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT) for introducing companion legislation in the U.S. Senate to the Modern Employment, Improvement, and Transformation (MERIT) Act, to hold inefficient, corrupt government bureaucrats accountable.
Rep. Loudermilk introduced the U.S. House version of the MERIT Act, H.R. 687, on January 23, 2025.
“Americans are tired of funding the fraud, waste, and abuse within our bloated federal government bureaucracy. With the passage of the MERIT Act, Americans will have a government they can be proud of again, not one they fear and distrust. We will return our government to one that works for the people, not one that works for self-interests or political agendas. The reforming of the federal government must begin with a dedicated, efficient, and committed workforce, which is why the MERIT Act is an essential step in fixing our broken system and creating a more effective government workforce that truly serves the American people. Prioritizing transparency and accountability are essential to maintaining the integrity of our federal government and protecting hard-earned taxpayer dollars. I commend Senator Tim Sheehy for introducing the Senate counterpart to this important bill and for his leadership in this effort,” said Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11).
“It’s well past time for the federal government to stop operating like a runaway train to nowhere and hold itself to the same standards that millions of hardworking Americans in the private sector hold themselves to every day. This legislation is an important step toward bringing an end to bloated bureaucracy and restoring common sense and accountability in the federal government. The American people voted for serious reform in November, and I’m proud to lead this effort in the Senate to deliver on that mandate,” said Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT).
MERIT ACT Summary:
- Addressing misconduct and poor performance: The MERIT Act repeals the Chapter 43 special process for action against poor performers and bad actors, which is unnecessarily time-consuming, and streamlines the Chapter 75 process for removal or suspension of employees and supervisors.
- Poor Performing Senior Executives: The MERIT Act permits agencies to remove a senior executive from the civil service for performance reasons, rather than merely demoting the individual to a non-Senior Executive Service (SES) position.
- Recoupment of bonuses and awards: The MERIT Act authorizes agencies to order recoupment of bonuses and awards when performance or conduct issues are discovered and it is determined the bonus or award would not have been paid had these issues been known at the time.
- Felonious service: The MERIT Act affects the retirement benefits of employees who are removed based on a felony conviction for actions taken in furtherance of official duties. The period of service during which the felonious activities occurred will be eliminated for purposes of any annuity computation.
Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Cindy Hyde Smith (R-MS) joined Senator Sheehy in introducing the MERIT Act in the U.S. Senate.
Reps. Buddy Carter (GA-1), Erin Houchin (IN-9), Rick Crawford (AR-1), Burgess Owens (UT-4), Mike Collins (GA-10), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13), Dan Webster (FL-11), Tracy Mann (KS-1), Scott Franklin (FL-18), Dan Meuser (PA-9), Brian Babin (TX-36), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Jim Baird (IN-4), Greg Steube (FL-17), Tim Burchett (TN-2), Randy Weber (TX-14), and Eli Crane (AZ-2) joined Rep. Barry Loudermilk in supporting the U.S. House version of the MERIT Act.
Click here for a one-page summary, here for the full House bill text, and here for the full Senate bill text of the Modern Employment Reform, Improvement, and Transformation (MERIT) Act.
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