Dual Hatting Limitation Act of 2026

Bill Number

H.R. 7483

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-02-11: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Last Updated

2026-06-11T23:26:38Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Dual Hatting Limitation Act of 2026 aims to prevent senior federal officials and temporary (acting) officials from simultaneously holding or performing the duties of multiple federal positions. This is intended to promote focused leadership, reduce potential conflicts of interest, and ensure that key oversight roles operate independently.

Key Provisions

• Prohibition on Dual Roles for Specific Officials:
• The Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), or any acting Director, cannot hold or perform duties for any other federal position.
• The Special Counsel (head of the Office of Special Counsel, which handles whistleblower protections and employee rights), or any acting Special Counsel, cannot hold or perform duties for any other federal position.
• The Director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE, which advises on ethical standards for federal employees), or any acting Director, cannot hold or perform duties for any other federal position.
• The Archivist of the United States (head of the National Archives and Records Administration, or NARA, responsible for preserving government records), or any acting Archivist, cannot hold or perform duties for any other federal position.
• Restrictions on Acting Officials Under Vacancy Laws:
• The President cannot assign someone who is already serving temporarily in one federal office to also serve temporarily in another vacant office.
• Broad Ban for Top Executive Positions:
• Any individual in a Level I Executive Schedule position (the highest-paid civilian roles, such as Cabinet secretaries) or acting in such a role cannot hold or perform duties for any other federal position.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amends sections of Title 5 of the U.S. Code (governing federal employment and ethics) to explicitly bar dual roles for OPM, Special Counsel, and OGE leaders, removing prior allowances for combined duties.
• Modifies the Federal Vacancies Reform Act (5 U.S.C. § 3345) to prevent "double acting" assignments, where one person temporarily fills multiple vacancies.
• Adds a new restriction to Title 44 (public records laws) for the Archivist role.
• Introduces a blanket prohibition on dual hatting (simultaneously serving in multiple roles) for all Level I Executive Schedule positions, which previously allowed some flexibility.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Reduces administrative flexibility in filling temporary leadership gaps, potentially slowing operations during vacancies but strengthening independence in ethics, personnel, and records management roles.
• On Citizens: May enhance public trust in federal oversight by minimizing conflicts where one official juggles multiple high-stakes responsibilities; could indirectly protect whistleblowers and ethical standards without direct citizen-facing changes.
• On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic federal administration.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Senior Federal Officials: Directors and acting leaders of OPM, Office of Special Counsel, OGE, and NARA, who lose the ability to take on additional roles.
• High-Level Executives: Individuals in or acting as Level I positions (e.g., Cabinet members), facing new limits on multitasking.
• The President and Executive Branch: Restricted in assigning acting officials, potentially requiring more nominations and Senate confirmations for vacancies.
• Federal Agencies: All executive agencies, particularly those involved in personnel, ethics, and records, which may need to adjust staffing during transitions.
• Congress and Oversight Bodies: Benefits from clearer separation of duties in independent watchdogs like OGE and Special Counsel.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens statutory barriers against conflicts of interest under federal ethics laws, but could face challenges if seen as overly rigid under vacancy-filling statutes (e.g., interpreting "acting capacity" broadly). No explicit constitutional issues, as it regulates executive administration without infringing on appointment powers.
• Constitutional: Aligns with separation of powers by promoting independent oversight roles, potentially reducing executive overreach in temporary assignments.
• Political: May politicize vacancy processes by forcing quicker permanent appointments, appealing to reformers seeking to curb "acting official" proliferation (a common practice in recent administrations for bypassing Senate confirmation). Could spark debate on administrative efficiency versus accountability.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]

Recent Actions

• 2026-02-11: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
• 2026-02-11: Introduced in House
• 2026-02-11: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Dual Hatting Limitation Act of 2026 — issued 2026-02-11 — PDF (4 pages)