1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep concern over the continued efforts by Russell Vought and the Trump administration to dismantle the merit based civil service and undermine the independence of our federal workforce. As one of the principal architects behind these policies, Mr. Vought has championed sweeping changes that would strip career civil servants of long standing workplace protections and make it easier to replace experienced public servants with individuals selected for political loyalty rather than professional expertise. This represents a dangerous departure from the principles that have guided our civil service for generations. Career federal employees swear an oath to the Constitution, not to any president or political party. Their responsibility is to faithfully execute the law, provide unbiased expertise, and serve the American people regardless of which administration is in power. Weakening those protections threatens the integrity of our government and risks transforming nonpartisan public service into a system driven by political patronage. The consequences extend far beyond the federal workforce. Americans depend on experienced public servants to administer Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, disaster relief, food safety inspections, public health programs, and countless other essential services. Politicizing these positions risks disrupting services that millions of Americans rely upon every day. The administration’s continued pursuit of Schedule Policy Career raises profound concerns about preserving an independent, professional civil service. While supporters argue these changes increase accountability, many career employees, labor organizations, and good government advocates warn that they could erode merit based hiring, discourage employees from providing candid professional advice, and make government less effective and less accountable to the public. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to serve as a check on executive power. I urge you to oppose efforts that weaken civil service protections, support legislation that preserves merit based employment, protect collective bargaining rights for federal employees, and ensure that federal agencies remain accountable to the American people, not to political ideology. The strength of our democracy depends on professional public servants who can carry out the law fairly, honestly, and without fear of political retaliation. I respectfully ask you to defend those principles and reject policies that place partisan loyalty above competence, integrity, and public service. Thank you for your time and for your commitment to protecting the institutions that serve the American people.