On July 31 the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously advanced the Chance to Compete Act (S. 59), commonsense bipartisan legislation endorsed by FMA that reduces unnecessary burdens to job hiring in the federal workforce. The measure passed by a vote of 11-0 and is cleared for consideration on the Senate floor. The House of Representatives passed similar legislation by a vote of 422-2 in January 2023.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced the bill, along with Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), James Lankford (R-OK) and Tom Carper (D-DE). To read Sen. Sinema's press release following the committee action, click here.

Specifically, the bill provides that a qualifying examination includes a résumé review that is conducted by a subject matter expert. Additionally, beginning two years after the bill's enactment, the bill prohibits examinations from consisting solely of a self-assessment from an automated examination, a résumé review that is not conducted by a subject matter expert, or any other method of assessing an applicant's experience or education.

Agencies may use subject matter experts to develop position-specific technical assessments that allow applicants to demonstrate job-related skills, abilities, and knowledge; assessments may include structured interviews, work-related exercises, procedures to measure career-related qualifications and interests, or other similar assessments. The bill also allows agencies to establish talent teams to support and improve hiring practices.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must create online platforms through which agencies may share and customize technical assessments and share the résumés of qualifying applicants. OPM must also create online platforms with information about the types of assessments used and hiring outcomes.

FMA will continue to work to get this important bill signed into law in the 118th Congress.