DHS to collect more data on travelers, OPM to reduce federal job protections, and more

Trump administration moves forward with rebranded Schedule F

The Office of Personnel Management is forging ahead with plans to establish a new employment category for federal workers called Schedule Policy/Career — a rebrand of the controversial “Schedule F” plans developed during President Donald Trump’s first term.

The new category, which goes into effect March 9, will enable federal agencies to potentially reclassify tens of thousands of employees in “policy-influencing” positions, giving them fewer job protections and no means to appeal suspensions, demotions, or firings to the Merit Systems Protection Board.

A final rule published by OPM last week says the change is necessary to address “longstanding performance management challenges in the federal workforce.” Additional guidance on the move, also published by OPM last week, says workers will not be able to challenge their reclassification. Agencies will compile lists of positions they intend to reclassify over the next month, which will be reviewed by OPM and then sent to President Trump for final approval.

Unions representing federal workers, such as the American Federation of Government Employees, are already planning legal action against the move, with AFGE National President Everett Kelley describing the rule as a “direct assault on a professional, nonpartisan, merit-based civil service and the government services the American people rely on every day.”

While OPM contends that Schedule Policy/Career positions will not be political appointees and that agencies will be prohibited from requiring Schedule Policy/Career employees to pledge personal or political loyalty to the president or his policies, union leaders worry that employees moved into the new schedule could be easily fired and replaced with workers who will not challenge senior leadership.

Some members of Congress have also spoken out against OPM’s final rule, including Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), who described the move as a “recipe for corruption.” Both senators are co-sponsors of the bipartisan Save the Civil Service Act, and last week launched the Federal Workforce Caucus to promote better protections for federal workers.

Homeland Security proposes increasing data collection from travelers

The comment period closes today on the Department of Homeland Security’s proposal to require additional personal data from users of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). ESTA provides travel authorization for short-term visitors to the U.S. from countries covered by the Visa Waiver Program, including those traveling for scientific conferences. Under the proposed rule, travellers would be newly required to provide biometric data, including their DNA and scans of their fingerprints, face, and irises. They would also be required to provide their last five years of social media activity, all phone numbers used in the last five years, and all email addresses used in the past 10 years. In addition to their own information, applicants would be required to provide the names, dates and places of birth, residences, telephone numbers, and email addresses of their parents, spouses, siblings, and children. The proposal would also require prospective ESTA users to download and apply through the ESTA Mobile app, which Customs and Border Protection says will allow it to more reliably capture facial images and geolocation data from users. The rule remains under review, and DHS has not provided a timeline for when it may go into effect.

DOE names members of science advisory committee to bolster ‘Gold Standard Science’

The Department of Energy announced the members of its new Office of Science Advisory Committee (SCAC) last week, including representatives from national labs, academia, industry, and non-profits.

A DOE press release said the board members will advise the Office of Science on research priorities and challenges, helping the department implement President Donald Trump’s executive order on Restoring Gold Standard Science.

“By bringing together leading minds from diverse institutions, we’re forging a collaborative framework that will not only enhance our scientific endeavors but also accelerate the translation of fundamental research into tangible benefits for the American people,” said DOE Under Secretary for Science Darío Gil.

SCAC will be chaired by Persis Drell, a professor of materials science and engineering and physics at Stanford University who previously led the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

The new committee replaces the Office of Science’s six former discretionary advisory committees, which were disbanded last year as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate non-statutory advisory committees across the federal government.

GAO recommends DOD further consolidate research management

A report released by the Government Accountability Office last week recommends military branches be required to submit their research budgets to the Office of the Undersecretary for Research and Engineering for review. The recommendation comes on the heels of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth moving to make Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael responsible for setting the technical direction of the entire Department of Defense. Hegseth recently disbanded several research and technology advisory groups and concentrated their responsibilities within Michael’s office. The GAO report adds that the science and technology efforts of various military branches are frequently misaligned with the priorities set by that office. A formal DOD response attached to the report concurs with its recommendations. However, that response also states that the Air Force, Army, and Navy criticized the prospect of submitting their budgets to the R&E office, saying that such a requirement would restrict their autonomy and increase workloads while reducing flexibility and delaying funding.