1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep concern over the actions of Russell Vought and the Trump administration to dismantle long standing protections for the federal civil service. Recent reports that the administration is expanding the number of career federal employees who can be reclassified into at will positions represent a direct threat to the merit based civil service that has served our nation for generations. Career federal employees swear an oath to the Constitution, not to any president or political party. They are hired because of their qualifications, experience, and commitment to serving the American people. Weakening civil service protections makes it easier to remove experienced employees based on shifting political priorities rather than objective performance or misconduct. This risks undermining the independence, continuity, and professionalism that Americans rely on from their government. As a federal employee, I have seen firsthand the dedication and professionalism of career public servants. They process Social Security claims, care for veterans, protect our borders, conduct scientific research, respond to disasters, inspect our food supply, and perform countless other essential functions. These employees deserve fair treatment and due process, not policies that create fear, uncertainty, and the perception that their careers depend on political favor. Russell Vought has been a leading advocate for expanding executive control over the career civil service, and the administration has continued implementing policies that reduce long standing employment protections for thousands of federal workers while signaling that additional positions could be reclassified. These actions threaten employee morale, make it more difficult to recruit and retain talented public servants, and risk replacing a professional, nonpartisan workforce with one that feels pressure to prioritize political loyalty over objective expertise. Regardless of which party occupies the White House, our government functions best when career employees can provide honest, expert advice and faithfully execute the law without fear of political retaliation. I urge you to publicly oppose efforts to weaken the merit based civil service, defend the due process rights of federal employees, and support legislation that preserves an independent, professional federal workforce. Protecting career civil servants is not about protecting any administration. It is about protecting the integrity, stability, and effectiveness of the federal government for all Americans. Thank you for your time and for considering my concerns. I hope you will stand up for the dedicated public servants who work every day on behalf of the American people.