,,ii  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #edhb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,decemb] #aa1          
#bjbd,mrs4 ,blackburn introduc$ ! foll[+
 bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to !   
,committee on ,homel& ,security &       
,gov]nm5tal ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to    
impose re/rictions on ,f$]al ag5cies )  
respect to appo9tm5ts1 & = o!r purposes4
  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ 
z ! ,f$]al ,freeze ,act4  #b4 ,freeze on
 ,f$]al hir+ & sal>ies  7a7 ,def9itions 
,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,ag5cy ,! t]m ag5cy
 has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9 section #eea (
 title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#b7   
,basel9e numb] ,! t]m basel9e numb]     
means1 ) respect to an ag5cy1 ! numb] ( 
employees employ$ by ! ag5cy 7includ+   
individuals occupy+ full-"t equival5t   
positions 9 ! ag5cy71 z ( ! date (      
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  7#c7 ,employee ,! 
t]m employee means an employee ( an     
ag5cy4  7b7 ,g5]al prohibitions ,not)/&+
 any o!r provision ( law or regulation1 
dur+ ! #a-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date (  

enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! foll[+ %all      
apply3 7#a7 7,a7 ,except z provid$ 9    
subp>agraph 7,b71 ! head ( an ag5cy may 
n increase ! numb] ( employees employ$  
by ! ag5cy beyond ! basel9e numb]4  7,b7
 ,dur+ ! #a-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date (
 enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! head ( an ag5cy 
may appo9t an individual to a position  
)9 ! ag5cy1 ev5 if appo9t+ t individual 
w\ld increase ! numb] ( employees       
employ$ by ! ag5cy beyond ! basel9e     
numb]1 if ! ag5cy head det]m9es t-- 7i7 
mak+ t appo9tm5t s]ves ! int]e/ ( law   
en=cem5t1 public safety1 or ! national  
security ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 or  7ii7 !  
individual s appo9t$ is ess5tial to     
respond to an em]g5cy decl>$ "u section 
#eja ( ! ,rob]t ,t4 ,/af=d ,disa/]      
,relief & ,em]g5cy ,assi/ance ,act 7#db 
,u4,s4,c4 #eaia74  7#b7 ,! annual rate (
 basic pay ( an employee1 z 9 effect on 
! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 may n be  
increas$4  7c7 ,r$uction 9 =ce  7#a7 ,9 
g5]al ,subject to p>agraph 7#b71 ! head 
( ea* ag5cy %all take su* measures1 )\t 

reg>d to any o!r provision ( law or     
regulation1 to ensure t-- 7,a7 z ( !    
date t is #b ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t
 ( ?is ,act1 ! numb] ( employees employ$
 by ! ag5cy is #b p]c5t less ?an !      
basel9e numb]2 &  7,b7 z ( ! date t is  
#c ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is    
,act1 ! numb] ( employees employ$ by !  
ag5cy is #e p]c5t less ?an ! basel9e    
numb]4  7#b7 ,exemption ,an employee :o 
! head ( ! employ+ ag5cy det]m9es s]ves 
! int]e/ ( law en=cem5t1 public safety1 
or ! national security ( ! ,unit$       
,/ates1 or :o is ess5tial to respond to 
an em]g5cy decl>$ "u section #eja ( !   
,rob]t ,t4 ,/af=d ,disa/] ,relief &     
,em]g5cy ,assi/ance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 
#eaia7 7z det]m9$ by t ag5cy head71 %all
 n apply = ! purposes ( det]m9+ ! numb] 
( employees employ$ by t ag5cy "u       
subp>agraph 7,a7 or 7,b7 ( p>agraph     
7#a74