[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8497 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8497

  To provide the Secretary of Homeland Security certain direct hiring 
                              authorities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2024

 Mr. Gallego introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
  Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on 
     Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide the Secretary of Homeland Security certain direct hiring 
                              authorities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY.

    (a) USCIS Direct Hire Authority.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security may 
        appoint, without regard to the provisions of sections 3309 
        through 3319 of title 5, United States Code, candidates needed 
        for positions within the Refugee, Asylum and International 
        Operations Directorate, the Field Operations Directorate, and 
        the Service Center Operations Directorate of U.S. Citizenship 
        and Immigration Services for which--
                    (A) public notice has been given;
                    (B) the Secretary has determined that a critical 
                hiring need exists; and
                    (C) the Secretary has consulted with the Director 
                of the Office of Personnel Management regarding--
                            (i) the positions for which the Secretary 
                        plans to recruit;
                            (ii) the quantity of candidates Secretary 
                        is seeking; and
                            (iii) the assessment and selection policies 
                        the Secretary plans to utilize.
            (2) Definition of critical hiring need.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``critical hiring need'' means personnel 
        necessary for the implementation of this Act and associated 
        work.
            (3) Reporting.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the 
        following 4 years, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
        consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel 
        Management, shall submit to Congress a report that includes--
                    (A) demographic data, including veteran status, 
                regarding individuals hired pursuant to the authority 
                under paragraph (1);
                    (B) salary information of individuals hired 
                pursuant to such authority; and
                    (C) how the Department of Homeland Security 
                exercised such authority consistently with merit system 
                principles.
            (4) Sunset.--The authority to make an appointment under 
        this subsection shall terminate on the date that is 5 years 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Ice Direct Hire Authority.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security may 
        appoint, without regard to the provisions of sections 3309 
        through 3319 of title 5, United States Code, candidates needed 
        for positions within Enforcement and Removal Operations of U.S. 
        Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a deportation officer or 
        with duties exclusively relating to the Enforcement and 
        Removal, Custody Operations, Alternatives to Detention, or 
        Transportation and Removal program for which--
                    (A) public notice has been given;
                    (B) the Secretary has determined that a critical 
                hiring need exists; and
                    (C) the Secretary has consulted with the Director 
                of the Office of Personnel Management regarding--
                            (i) the positions for which the Secretary 
                        plans to recruit;
                            (ii) the quantity of candidates the 
                        Secretary is seeking; and
                            (iii) the assessment and selection policies 
                        the Secretary plans to utilize.
            (2) Definition of critical hiring need.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``critical hiring need'' means personnel 
        necessary for the implementation of this Act and associated 
        work.
            (3) Reporting.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the 
        following 4 years, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
        consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel 
        Management, shall submit to Congress a report that includes--
                    (A) demographic data, including veteran status, 
                regarding individuals hired pursuant to the authority 
                under paragraph (1);
                    (B) salary information of individuals hired 
                pursuant to such authority; and
                    (C) how the Department of Homeland Security 
                exercised such authority consistently with merit system 
                principles.
            (4) Sunset.--The authority to make an appointment under 
        this subsection shall terminate on the date that is 5 years 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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