[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H258-H262]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CHANCE TO COMPETE ACT OF 2023

  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill

[[Page H259]]

(H.R. 159) to implement merit-based reforms to the civil service hiring 
system that replace degree-based hiring with skills- and competency-
based hiring, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 159

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Chance to Compete Act of 
     2023''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       (a) Terms Defined in Section 3304 of Title 5, United States 
     Code.--In this Act, the terms ``agency'', ``Director'', 
     ``examining agency'', ``Office'', ``subject matter expert'', 
     and ``technical assessment'' have the meanings given those 
     terms in subsection (c)(1) of section 3304 of title 5, United 
     States Code, as added by section 3(a).
       (b) Other Terms.--In this Act, the term ``competitive 
     service'' has the meaning given the term in section 2102 of 
     title 5, United States Code.

     SEC. 3. DEFINING THE TERM ``EXAMINATION'' FOR PURPOSES OF 
                   HIRING IN THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE.

       (a) Examinations; Technical Assessments.--
       (1) In general.--Section 3304 of title 5, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (A) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as 
     subsections (d) through (g), respectively; and
       (B) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Examinations.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--
       ``(A) Examination.--
       ``(i) In this chapter, the term `examination'--

       ``(I) means an opportunity to directly demonstrate 
     knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies, through a 
     passing score assessment;
       ``(II) includes a resume review that is--

       ``(aa) conducted by a subject matter expert; and
       ``(bb) based upon indicators that--
       ``(AA) are derived from a job analysis; and
       ``(BB) bear a rational relationship to performance in the 
     position for which the examining agency is hiring; and

       ``(III) on and after the date that is 2 years after the 
     date of enactment of the Chance to Compete Act of 2023 does 
     not include a self-assessment from an automated examination, 
     a resume review (except as provided in subclause (II)), or 
     any other method of determining the experience or level of 
     educational attainment of an individual, alone.

       ``(ii)(I) An agency's Chief Human Capital Officer may waive 
     clause (i)(III) when needed to enable the filling of a 
     position or class of positions.
       ``(II) Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
     of the Chance to Compete Act of 2023, the Director shall 
     provide agencies guidance and instruction on the data, 
     evidence, and circumstances that Chief Human Capital Officers 
     of agencies should consider in determining whether to grant a 
     waiver under subclause (I).
       ``(III)(aa) An agency shall post any waiver granted under 
     subclause (I) on a public website within 30 days of the 
     granting of the waiver.
       ``(bb) A waiver shall not be considered in effect until it 
     is posted on the public website pursuant to item (aa).
       ``(IV)(aa) Each agency shall submit to the Director on a 
     semiannual basis a report summarizing the number of waivers 
     granted by the Chief Human Capital Officer of the agency 
     under subclause (I) during the preceding 6-month period and 
     the reasons therefor.
       ``(bb) The Director shall submit annually to the Committee 
     on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
     and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the 
     House of Representatives a report summarizing the number of 
     waivers granted by the Chief Human Capital Officers of all 
     agencies under subclause (I) during the preceding year and 
     the reasons therefor provided by the agencies.
       ``(V) Not more than 10 percent of an agency's positions 
     filled through competitive hiring procedures during a fiscal 
     year may be filled under the authority of a waiver granted 
     under clause (I), and an agency shall obtain the Director's 
     approval to fill more than 5 percent of such positions under 
     such authority.
       ``(B) Other definitions.--In this subsection--
       ``(i) the term `agency' means an agency described in 
     section 901(b) of title 31;
       ``(ii) the term `Director' means the Director of the 
     Office;
       ``(iii) the term `examining agency' means--

       ``(I) the Office; or
       ``(II) an agency to which the Director has delegated 
     examining authority under section 1104(a)(2) of this title;

       ``(iv) the term `passing score assessment' means an 
     assessment that an individual can pass or fail;
       ``(v) the term `subject matter expert' means an employee or 
     selecting official--

       ``(I) who possesses understanding of the duties of, and 
     knowledge, skills, and abilities required for, the position 
     for which the employee or selecting official is developing or 
     administering an assessment; and
       ``(II) whom the agency that employs the employee or 
     selecting official designates to assist in the development 
     and administration of technical assessments under paragraph 
     (2); and

       ``(vi) the term `technical assessment' means an assessment 
     developed under paragraph (2)(A)(i) that--

       ``(I) allows for the demonstration of job-related technical 
     skills, abilities, and knowledge;
       ``(II)(aa) is based upon a job analysis; and
       ``(bb) is relevant to the position for which the assessment 
     is developed; and
       ``(III) may include--

       ``(aa) a structured interview;
       ``(bb) a work-related exercise;
       ``(cc) a custom or generic procedure used to measure an 
     individual's employment or career-related qualifications and 
     interests; or
       ``(dd) another assessment that meets the criteria under 
     subclauses (I) and (II).
       ``(2) Technical assessments.--
       ``(A) In general.--For the purpose of conducting an 
     examination for a position in the competitive service, an 
     individual or individuals whom an agency determines to have 
     an expertise in the subject and job field of the position, as 
     affirmed and audited by the Chief Human Capital Officer or 
     Human Resources Director (as applicable) of that agency, 
     may--
       ``(i) develop, in partnership with human resources 
     employees of the examining agency, a position-specific 
     assessment that is relevant to the position; and
       ``(ii) administer the assessment developed under clause (i) 
     to--

       ``(I) determine whether an applicant for the position has a 
     passing score to be qualified for the position; or
       ``(II) rank applicants for the position for category rating 
     purposes under section 3319.

       ``(B) Sharing and customization of assessments.--
       ``(i) Sharing.--An examining agency may share a technical 
     assessment with another examining agency if each agency 
     maintains appropriate control over examination material.
       ``(ii) Customization.--An examining agency with which a 
     technical assessment is shared under clause (i) may customize 
     the assessment as appropriate, provided that the resulting 
     assessment satisfies the requirements under part 300 of title 
     5, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
       ``(iii) Platform for sharing and customization.--

       ``(I) In general.--The Director shall establish and operate 
     an online platform on which examining agencies can share and 
     customize technical assessments under this subparagraph.
       ``(II) Online platform.--The Director shall ensure that the 
     online platform described in subclause (I) includes the 
     ability of its users to rate the utility of the content and 
     technical assessments shared in the online platform to allow 
     for a ranking of such contents.

       ``(3) Regulations.--Not later than one year after the date 
     of enactment of the Chance to Compete Act of 2023, the Office 
     of Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations necessary 
     for the administration of this subsection with respect to 
     employees in each agency.''.
       (2) Alternative ranking and selection procedures.--Section 
     3319(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding 
     at the end the following: ``To be placed in a quality 
     category under the preceding sentence, an applicant shall be 
     required to have passed an examination in accordance with 
     section 3304(b).''.
       (3) Technical and conforming amendment.--Section 
     3330a(a)(1)(B) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
     striking ``section 3304(f)(1)'' and inserting ``section 
     3304(g)(1)''.
       (b) Implementation of Passing Score Assessment 
     Requirement.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director and the head of any other 
     examining agency shall eliminate the use of any examination 
     for the competitive service that does not satisfy the 
     definition of the term ``examination'' in subsection 
     (c)(1)(A) of section 3304 of title 5, United States Code (as 
     amended by subsection (a)(1)(B)).
       (2) Report required.--One year following the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the 
     Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report examining 
     agencies' progress in implementing the requirement specified 
     in paragraph (1), identifying any significant difficulties 
     encountered in such implementation.
       (c) OPM Reporting.--
       (1) Public online tool.--
       (A) In general.--The Director of the Office of Personnel 
     Management shall maintain and periodically update a publicly 
     available online tool that, with respect to each position in 
     the competitive service for which an examining agency 
     examined applicants during the applicable period, includes--
       (i) the type of assessment used, such as--

       (I) a behavioral off-the-shelf assessment;
       (II) a resume review conducted by a subject matter expert;
       (III) an interview conducted by a subject matter expert;
       (IV) a technical off-the-shelf assessment; or
       (V) a cognitive ability test;

[[Page H260]]

       (ii) whether or not the agency selected a candidate for the 
     position; and
       (iii) the hiring authority used to fill the position.
       (B) Timing.--
       (i) Initial data.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Director shall update the 
     online tool described in subparagraph (A) with data for 
     positions in the competitive service for which an examining 
     agency examined applicants during the period beginning on the 
     date of enactment of this Act and ending on the date of 
     submission of the report.
       (ii) Subsequent updates.--Not later than October 1 of each 
     fiscal year beginning after the date on which the online tool 
     is initially updated under clause (i), the Director shall 
     update the online tool described in subparagraph (A) with 
     data for positions in the competitive service for which an 
     examining agency examined applicants during the preceding 
     fiscal year.
       (2) Annual progress report.--
       (A) In general.--Each year, the Director, in accordance 
     with subparagraphs (B) and (C), shall make publicly available 
     and submit to Congress an overall progress report that 
     includes summary data from examinations that are closed, 
     audited, and anonymous on the use of examinations (as defined 
     in subsection (c)(1)(A) of section 3304 of title 5, United 
     States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section) for 
     the competitive service, including technical assessments.
       (B) Categories; baseline data.--In carrying out 
     subparagraph (A), the Director shall--
       (i) break the data down by applicant demographic indicator, 
     including veteran status, race, gender, disability, and any 
     other measure the Director determines appropriate; and
       (ii) use the data available as of October 1, 2020, as a 
     baseline.
       (C) Limitations.--In carrying out subparagraph (A), the 
     Director may only make publicly available and submit to 
     Congress data relating to examinations for which--
       (i) the related announcement is closed;
       (ii) certificates have been audited; and
       (iii) all hiring processes are completed.
       (d) GAO Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit to Congress a report that--
       (1) assesses the implementation of this section and the 
     amendments made by this section;
       (2) assesses the impact and modifications to the hiring 
     process for the competitive service made by this section and 
     the amendments made by this section; and
       (3) makes recommendations for the improvement of the hiring 
     process for the competitive service.

     SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO COMPETITIVE SERVICE ACT OF 2015.

       (a) Platforms for Sharing Certificates of Eligibles.--
       (1) In general.--Section 3318(b) of title 5, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``240-day'' and inserting 
     ``1-year'';
       (B) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
       ``(5) Online tool for sharing resumes of individuals on 
     certificates of eligibles.--Not later than one year after the 
     date of enactment of the Chance to Compete Act of 2023, the 
     Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall 
     establish and operate an online tool on which an appointing 
     authority can share, with other appointing authorities and 
     the Chief Human Capital Officers Council established under 
     section 1303 of the Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002 
     (5 U.S.C. 1401 note; Public Law 107-296), the resumes of 
     individuals who are on a certificate of eligibles requested 
     by the appointing authority. In carrying out this paragraph, 
     the Director shall consult with the Chief Human Capital 
     Officers Counsel and its membership to develop a plan to 
     establish such online tool.''.
       (2) Plan.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director shall provide to Congress 
     a plan to develop the online tool required in paragraph (5) 
     of section 3318(b) of title 5, United States Code, as added 
     by paragraph (1) of this subsection. Such plan shall--
       (A) incorporate the input and feedback collected during the 
     required consultation under such paragraph; and
       (B) include estimated costs for building and operating the 
     online tool.
       (b) Maximizing Sharing of Applicant Information.--Section 2 
     of the Competitive Service Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-137; 
     130 Stat. 310) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections 
     (d) and (e), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Exploring the Benefits of Maximizing Sharing of 
     Applicant Information.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
       ``(A) the terms `agency', `Director', and `Office' have the 
     meanings given those terms in section 3304(c)(1) of title 5, 
     United States Code; and
       ``(B) the term `competitive service' has the meaning given 
     the term in section 2102 of title 5, United States Code.
       ``(2) Maximizing sharing.--The Director shall maximize the 
     sharing of information among agencies regarding qualified 
     applicants for positions in the competitive service, 
     including by--
       ``(A) providing for the delegation to other agencies of the 
     authority of the Office to host multi-agency hiring actions 
     to increase the return on investment on high-quality pooled 
     announcements; and
       ``(B) sharing certificates of eligibles and accompanying 
     resumes for appointment.''.

     SEC. 5. MODERNIZING AND REFORMING THE ASSESSMENT AND HIRING 
                   OF FEDERAL JOB CANDIDATES.

       (a) OPM Review.--The Director shall conduct a review of all 
     examinations for hiring for a position that the Office or any 
     other examining agency has determined requires a minimum 
     educational requirement because the nature of the duties of 
     such position is of a scientific, technical, or professional 
     position pursuant to section 3308 of title 5, United States 
     Code, to determine whether there are data, evidence, or other 
     information that justifies the need for educational 
     requirements for such position. The Director shall consult 
     with appropriate agencies, employee representatives, external 
     experts, and other stakeholders when making any such 
     determinations.
       (b) Online Tool Regarding Position Duties.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than two years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director shall create and maintain 
     an online tool that lists each of the duties determined to 
     require minimum educational requirements and the data, 
     evidence, or other information that justifies the need for 
     these educational requirements. This online tool shall 
     include a mechanism to receive feedback regarding data, 
     evidence, or information that could affect the determination 
     that a duty requires a minimum educational requirement.
       (2) Hiring practices.--Not later than one year after the 
     creation of the online tool under paragraph (1), the Director 
     and the head of any other examining agency shall amend the 
     hiring practices of the Office or the other examining agency, 
     respectively, in accordance with the findings of the review 
     made by subsection (a).
       (c) Online Tool Regarding Recruiting.--Upon the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish and 
     maintain an online tool that provides Federal agencies 
     guidance on, and information about, all programs and 
     authorities that help agencies attract, recruit, hire, and 
     retain individuals.

     SEC. 6. TALENT TEAMS.

       (a) Federal Agency Talent Teams.--
       (1) In general.--An agency may establish one or more talent 
     teams (referred to in this section as ``agency talent 
     teams''), including at the component level.
       (2) Duties.--An agency talent team shall provide hiring 
     support to the agency and other agencies, including by--
       (A) improving examinations (as defined in subsection 
     (c)(1)(A) of section 3304 of title 5, United States Code, as 
     added by section 3(a));
       (B) facilitating writing job announcements for the 
     competitive service;
       (C) sharing high-quality certificates of eligibles; and
       (D) facilitating hiring for the competitive service using 
     examinations (as defined in such subsection (c)(1)(A)) and 
     subject matter experts.
       (b) Office of Personnel Management.--The Director may 
     establish a Federal talent team to support agency talent 
     teams in facilitating pooled hiring actions across the 
     Federal Government, providing training, and creating 
     technology platforms to facilitate hiring for the competitive 
     service, including--
       (1) the development of technical assessments; and
       (2) the sharing of certificates of eligibles and 
     accompanying resumes under sections 3318(b) and 3319(c) of 
     title 5, United States Code.

     SEC. 7. UPDATES TO SYSTEM OF RECORDS FOR HIRING ACTIONS IN 
                   THE CIVIL SERVICE.

       (a) Update to Select System of Records.--Not later than 180 
     days after the date of enactment of this Act, and on a 
     regular basis thereafter, the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall provide guidance to all Federal 
     departments and agencies to ensure appropriate use of a 
     system of records, including any governmentwide systems of 
     records, to meet the requirements of section 552a of title 5, 
     United States Code (commonly known as the ``Privacy Act''), 
     in hiring actions in the civil service.
       (b) Governmentwide Systems of Records at the Office.--
       (1) In general.--The Director of the Office of Personnel 
     Management, in consultation with the Director of the Office 
     of Management and Budget, shall ensure that any system of 
     records notice updates required pursuant to the guidance 
     provided under subsection (a) account for any use of newer 
     technologies that capture records (as defined in section 
     552a(a)(4) of title 5, United States Code) in video, audio, 
     and video/audio combination formats and accommodate 
     maintenance of such video, audio, and video/audio combination 
     records.
       (2) Evaluation for potential updates or revisions.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
     Personnel Management shall evaluate whether the 
     governmentwide System of Records Notices (referred to in this 
     paragraph as ``SORNs'') ``OPM/GOVT-5 Recruiting, Examining, 
     and Placement Records'' and ``OPM/GOVT-6 Personnel Research 
     and Test Validation Records'', or any successor materials 
     thereto, require updating or revision to implement the 
     purposes of this Act.

[[Page H261]]

       (B) Issuance of updates or revisions; notice to congress.--
     If the Director, after the evaluation under subparagraph (A), 
     finds that any updates or revisions to the SORNs identified 
     in that subparagraph are necessary and appropriate to support 
     implementation of this Act, the Director shall promptly--
       (i) issue the updates or revisions; and
       (ii) notify the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Oversight and Accountability of the House of Representatives.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Comer) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress is charged with overseeing the executive 
branch. This includes overseeing the general management and operations 
of government agencies.
  For the success of our government's missions and Federal programs, we 
must have a competent and skilled workforce to deliver services to the 
American people, defend our Nation, and execute the laws passed by 
Congress. However, agencies lack the tools to identify and hire the 
best candidates to fill these positions.
  The problem is that hiring for the Federal civil service has over-
relied on the paper credentials and self-administered job proficiency 
assessments of candidates. The reintroduced Chance to Compete Act of 
2023 ensures agencies use objective, skills-based assessments to 
evaluate job candidates.
  The private sector already uses such structured interviews, knowledge 
tests, and writing samples for the hiring process. It is time for the 
Federal Government to do so as well.
  Agencies should be able to hire professionals that can do the work, 
and there are many ways to build the right kind of professional 
expertise. H.R. 159 represents one of those rare bipartisan legislative 
reforms that targets a specific problem, implements tested solutions, 
and reflects private-sector best practices.
  The bill codifies and improves upon the policy initiatives begun in 
the Trump administration and which the Biden administration is 
continuing to implement.
  I thank the chairwoman of the Committee on Education and Workforce, 
Dr. Virginia Foxx, who is also a senior member of the House Oversight 
Committee, and Congressman Gerry Connolly for working quickly to ready 
this bipartisan bill.
  I also thank Representative Ro Khanna for, again, supporting this 
bill that will help us modernize our government.
  I hope that our Senate colleagues can swiftly advance this important 
legislation so that it can be signed into law this year.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important bill, and 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 159, the Chance to Compete 
Act.
  The bipartisan Chance to Compete Act was introduced by Representative 
Foxx, who I see is here with us, and Representative Connolly. I thank 
them both for their hard work on it.
  The bill aims to make evaluations more useful in assessing the skills 
of candidates for Federal positions and to alleviate inefficiencies 
that have long hampered the hiring process.
  The bill turns away from current reliance on self-assessment and 
attainment of educational degrees to determine candidate qualifications 
in the hiring process. Instead, subject matter experts and agencies 
would design assessments that test specific knowledge for a position 
for which the agency is hiring.
  This overhaul would better match qualified applicants with positions 
and expand opportunities to candidates with more diverse professional 
and educational backgrounds.
  The Chance to Compete Act aligns with the Office of Personnel 
Management's guidance of last May to facilitate an executive order to 
modernize the process of hiring Federal job candidates.
  Establishing hiring methods that are more skills-based will improve 
agency managers' ability to hire people who possess the knowledge and 
experience to do the job and to hire from a wider array of qualified 
applicants.
  The bill also directs OPM to create an online platform for sharing 
candidate assessments between agencies and maintain a portal for hiring 
managers to find candidates who have already demonstrated their 
qualifications for certain positions but were not yet hired.
  Under this legislation, agencies may assemble talent teams to support 
this assessment of candidates in the hiring process. The OPM Director 
would be required to submit annual progress reports to Congress on use 
of the new assessments. After 5 years, the GAO would conduct a study of 
the implementation of the Federal job assessment reforms and their 
impacts on the hiring process.
  This bill streamlines the hiring process for agencies and will 
shorten the time it takes to bring new, well-qualified employees on 
board.
  I thank Dr. Foxx for her leadership in introducing it. The bill is 
the result of constructive collaboration by several members of our 
committee from both sides of the aisle, including Mr. Connolly.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this bipartisan measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, Republicans and Democrats can agree that every 
hardworking, taxpaying American deserves a Federal Government that is 
built upon a solid foundation that breathes efficiency and is peopled 
by those with appropriate skills, not necessarily degrees.
  To achieve that end, we must eliminate the bureaucratic snares that 
have hamstrung the Federal hiring process over the course of decades, 
and fast.

  In its current state, this dilapidated and archaic hiring process 
serves as a deterrent to attracting qualified and high-quality 
candidates. The simple truth is that it seriously undermines the 
Federal workforce's ability to serve the American people in both a 
proper and efficient manner.
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear that something must be done to turn the 
tide. That is precisely why I have introduced the Chance to Compete Act 
of 2023 alongside Representative Gerry Connolly, Oversight and 
Accountability Committee Chairman  James Comer, and Representative Ro 
Khanna.
  This legislation builds upon a solid record of bipartisan 
collaboration and proven success in codifying key skills-based hiring 
reforms.
  More specifically, under this legislation, Federal agencies will be 
able better to distinguish practical performers in a field of 
candidates and focus on hiring individuals who can perform at the 
highest level in the jobs they assume within the Federal Government.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
support this much-needed bipartisan legislation.
  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for 
closing.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to support passage of this bipartisan 
legislation. It is an auspicious way for us to begin on the Oversight 
Committee. I salute the chairman for his wisdom in bringing this 
forward, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense bill aimed at hiring 
applicants for Federal positions based on whether they have the 
relevant skills to do the job. The American people deserve nothing less 
from their Federal Government.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 159, the 
Chance to Compete Act of 2023, as amended, that implements

[[Page H262]]

merit-based reforms to the civil service hiring system and would 
replace degree-based hiring with skills- and competency-based hiring.
  It is critically important that we make skills- and competency-based 
hiring, the fundamental method of assessment for hiring in the 
competitive civil service.
  No person, with the requisite skill, training, and competency should 
be prevented from securing a job because of a requirement that they 
hold a higher education degree.
  As modern industry and technology evolve, so too do the pathways to 
professional achievement.
  Recently, apprenticeship programs are an increasingly viable 
alternative to a traditional degree as they give students new 
opportunities to gain both knowledge of the subject matter and a skill 
set tailored specifically to their chosen profession.
  These programs allow them to pursue jobs which align with their 
passions and strengths while still providing the students with 
important recognition in the form of a certificate which demonstrates 
their expertise in the field.
  Undeniably, these skills focused models have opened doors for many 
who have been marginalized economically--giving them access to well-
deserved dignity and success within their communities.
  It is past time that the competitive civil service do away with 
degree requirements and make skills- and competency-based hiring the 
fundamental method of assessment.
  This change will expand the pipeline of candidates who can access the 
competitive civil service jobs.
  I have long been a champion of education and workforce development.
  Several institutions in my district, including Houston Independent 
School District, Lone Star College, and Houston Community College have 
very successful trade and skills and based training programs.
  These programs cover the gamut from culinary arts to auto-mechanic 
programs, to certificate programs for estheticians.
  In 2017, Hurricane Harvey, killed 67 people, flooded 154,000 homes 
and 500,000 vehicles, and inflicted $125 billion in damage, primarily 
from catastrophic rainfall--triggering the worst flooding in the 
Houston metropolitan area history.
  In the aftermath, I advocated for funding for Houston Community 
College for a water disaster resilience training, certification and 
onboarding of skills, technologies, and training for first responders 
and the public to better prepare for the unique challenges posed by 
massive urban flood events.
  This and other programs offer the opportunity to gain practical and 
in-demand skills needed to build a successful career in todays economy.
  The Chance to Compete Act of 2023 will open new pathways for those 
without a degree, and allow them to access job roles in the competitive 
civil service that may have otherwise been inaccessible which gives 
them the opportunity to advance their lives and careers.
  Furthermore, access to jobs in the competitive civil service based on 
skill and competency will grant people an unprecedented level of access 
to the dignity of work that fulfills a great need in today's society.
  We must remain committed to recognizing the power and potential of 
non-degree based assessments for access to new employment paths, 
especially in light of today's changing job market.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, the civil service is the lifeblood of our 
government and provides taxpayers, small businesses, and vulnerable 
populations vital resources and services throughout the country.
  As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations for the past 
4 years, I held a series of hearings focused on revitalizing and 
rejuvenating the federal workforce.
  What we found is that proposals like Chance to Compete should exist 
in a constellation of improvements to federal workforce recruitment 
that includes better pay, reforming federal internships to improve the 
intern to employee pipeline, and remaining competitive with the private 
sector in areas such as hybrid work--all of which are the subjects of 
legislation produced by the Government Operations Subcommittee last 
Congress (FAIR Act, Next Gen Feds Act, and Telework and Metrics Cost 
Savings Act).
  I am proud to be the lead-cosponsor of the Chance to Compete Act, 
which leverages skill assessments to build a more competitive, 
equitable, and inclusive workforce.
  This bill has bipartisan support and through demonstration projects 
at agencies proven empirical success.
  In short, this legislation allows an agency that has an open position 
to develop a skills-based assessment to evaluate candidates in a way 
that goes above and beyond the traditional review of past work and 
education experience.
  Furthermore, this bill:
  Enables agencies to share their assessment findings with other 
agencies, streamlining the overall hiring process and ensuring 
competitive candidates do not fall between the cracks if they have 
already proven their ability to perform.
  And deploys talent teams at agencies to ensure the development and 
implementation of the goals of this bill.
  I thank Representative Virginia Foxx, for her hard work and 
leadership on this bill as well as the American Federation of 
Government Employees (AFGE), Partnership for Public Service (PPS), the 
Senior Executives Association (SEA), Professional Managers Association 
(PMA), and others who have endorsed this legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 159, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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