Hice & Khanna Introduce Bill to Improve Federal Hiring Process

WASHINGTON — Today, Subcommittee on Government Operations Ranking Member Jody Hice (R-Ga.) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) introduced legislation, the Chance to Compete Act (H.R. 6967). This bipartisan, bicameral bill improves the federal hiring process by giving agencies the ability to share applicant assessments, allow subject matter experts to serve as interviewers, and move assessments toward focusing on the candidate’s ability to perform the actual job rather than where or if they received their college degree.

“For far too long, the federal government’s hiring priorities have focused too much on whether a candidate has obtained a degree rather than whether they actually have the skills needed to serve Americans best. I’m proud to introduce the Chance to Compete Act in the House, which builds upon Trump-era policies allowing agencies to hire based on a candidate’s skills rather than just their education,” said Ranking Member Hice. “Congress needs to make federal hiring more effective, and our bill will remove unnecessary barriers to entry, create a more efficient and transparent process, and expand economic opportunities for all Americans. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues and our Senate counterparts to pass this critical legislation.”  

“I am committed to ensuring that everyone has a fair shot at building a strong economic future for themselves and their families. There’s no reason a college degree should be required for a job if the candidate is able to demonstrate that they have the skills necessary to succeed in the role,” said Rep. Khanna. “These merit based changes will create additional pathways into public service and foster new opportunities to attract qualified talent from all walks of life.”

Representatives Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) and Kweise Mfume (D-Md.) are original cosponsors of the bill. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.).

Click here for a one-pager on the Chance to Compete Act.

Click here for bill text.