Document mBDr5d51GvQJLb7M0VbL7jn94

JAMES COMER, KENTUCKY CHAIRMAN ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS Congre55 of the tiniteb 6tate5 Iiiouge of Repreoentatibeg COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM 2157 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515-6143 MAKAflY (2021225-5074 1.4440nury 12021225-5051 httpei/oversight.housegov GERALD E. CONNOLLY, VIRGINIA RANKING MINORITY MEMBER March 10, 2025 The Honorable Sean Duffy Secretary U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Dear Secretary Duffy: I am writing concerning the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) memorandum dated February 26, 2025, regarding guidance on agency reductions in force (RIF) and reorganization plans.' The actions outlined in this memo will further enable the Administration's political purge of dedicated civil servants from federal agencies. The Administration has already engaged in illegal RIFs,2 deep funding cuts that endanger many of our government's life-saving missions,3 and the unlawful wholesale dismantlement of congressionally authorized federal agencies.4 This memo seeks to accelerate and expand these actions across the government. Memorandum from Russell T. Vought, Director, Office of Management and Budget and Charles Ezell, Acting Director, Office of Personnel Management to Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies (Feb. 26, 2025) (online at www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/latest-memos/guidance-on-agency-rif-and-reorganization-plansrequested-by-implementing-the-president-s-department-of-government-efficiency-workforce-optimizationinitiative.pdf). 2 Judge blocks Trump administration's massfirings offederal workers, Washington Post (Feb. 27, 2025) (online at www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/27/judge-probationary-federal-employee-firings-lawsuit/) and Here's Where Trump's Government Layoffs. Are Targeted--As Veterans Affairs Reportedly Plans Thousands of Cuts, Forbes (Mar. 5, 2025) (online at www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/03/05/heres-where-trumps-governmentlayoffs-are-targeted-as-veterans-affairs-reportedly-plans-thousands-of-cuts/). 3 See, for example, USAID's extremely uncertain future risks global aid efforts, especially in Ukraine, CNN (Feb. 27, 2025) (online at www.cnn.com/2025/02/27/politics/usaid-government-spending-global-aid-dg/index.html). 4 See, for example, Trump administration orders consumer protection agency to stop work, closes building, Associated Press (Feb. 9, 2025) (online at https://apnews.com/article/trump-consumer-protection-ceaselb93c60a773b6b5ee629e769ae6850e9) and Education Dept looks to reassign work to other agencies ahead of Trump EO `eliminating' it, Federal News Network (Mar. 4, 2025) (online at https://federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-oversight/2025/03/education-dept-looks-to-reassign-work-to-otheragencies-ahead-of-trump-eo-eliminating-it/). OST-Sl 0-250310-036 OST-2025-1105 Page 02258 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0024344 The Honorable Sean Duffy Page 2 I request that you submit to the Committee any materials your agency develops responsive to the February 26 memo. Please provide these materials to the Committee concurrent with submission to OMB and/or OPM. The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate "any matter" at "any time" under House Rule X. The Committee has legislative jurisdiction over the "federal civil service, including intergovernmental personnel; and the status of officers and employees of the United States, including their compensation, classification, and retirement." The information requested in this letter will inform potential legislative reforms to the federal civil service. If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact Committee Democratic staff at (202) 225-5051. Sincerely, Gerald E. Connolly Ranking Member cc: The Honorable James Corner, Chairman OST-S10-250310-036 OST-2025-1105 Page 02259 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0024345