Hire American Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9063
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T21:28:56Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation aims to limit federal government jobs to individuals who are U.S. citizens or nationals, with limited exceptions for specific temporary needs.
Key Provisions
- Adds a new section (3117) to title 5 of the U.S. Code that generally bars non-citizens and non-nationals from federal employment.
- Requires job applicants to sign an affidavit confirming they meet the citizenship requirement, and agencies must verify this before hiring.
- Lists four exceptions: temporary or intermittent translators, temporary or intermittent emergency field services, international broadcasters employed by the U.S. Agency for Global Media, and nonresident aliens hired as wildland firefighters by the Forest Service or Department of the Interior for up to 120 days under international agreements.
- Directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to issue implementation guidance within 180 days and to report on existing non-citizen employees.
- Requires public notice in the Federal Register for any hires made under the exceptions, including details on the exception used, the agency, duration, and efforts to hire citizens instead.
- Imposes penalties (fine up to $50,000, imprisonment up to 5 years, or both) for knowingly filing a false affidavit.
- Applies the rules to employees of the U.S. Postal Service and Postal Regulatory Commission.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill introduces a broad new prohibition on federal employment of non-citizens, overriding certain anti-discrimination protections in the Immigration and Nationality Act. It shifts policy from allowing limited non-citizen hires in some cases to a default citizenship requirement, with narrow carve-outs and new verification and reporting steps.
Potential Impacts
- Federal agencies would face stricter hiring rules, potentially affecting roles that previously used non-citizens for specialized or urgent tasks.
- Current non-citizen federal workers could be identified in required reports, though the bill does not mandate their removal.
- Citizens seeking federal jobs might see increased opportunities, while non-citizens would generally be ineligible except under the listed exceptions.
- International agreements involving wildland firefighters could continue on a short-term basis, with minimal direct effects on broader foreign relations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal agencies and the Office of Personnel Management (responsible for compliance and reporting).
- Current and prospective federal employees, including those at the Postal Service.
- Non-citizen individuals seeking or holding federal positions.
- Congress (receives the required report on existing non-citizen staff).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The measure creates a new federal employment standard that could raise questions about how it interacts with existing anti-discrimination rules in immigration law. It also requires agencies to document and publicly justify any exceptions, adding administrative oversight. The bill does not address state or private-sector employment.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- 2026-05-29: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Hire American Act — issued 2026-05-29 — PDF (4 pages)