1. United States
2. Letter

I urge you not to move forward with the proposed “Schedule Policy/Career” rule, which would let political appointees reclassify thousands of federal workers into at-will positions—removing long-standing protections that keep our government professional, stable, and nonpartisan. This policy would weaken the independence of the civil service by allowing employees to be fired not for poor performance or misconduct, but for failing to show political loyalty. That kind of power undermines the basic principle that government should serve the public, not any one administration’s agenda. Civil servants—scientists, public health experts, national security analysts, and other policy professionals—are required by law to serve the Constitution and the American people, not any political figure. Reinstating a version of Schedule F, or anything like it, would invite political favoritism, weaken oversight inside federal agencies, and discourage honest advice, disagreement, and whistleblowing. It risks turning fact-based public service into a loyalty test—and that’s a threat to good government. The government already has tools to address poor performance. This proposal isn’t reform—it’s a way to increase political control at the expense of expertise, continuity, and constitutional checks and balances. This wouldn’t drain the swamp—it would politicize it. And it would set a dangerous precedent that future presidents, from either party, could use to remove watchdogs, silence professionals, and erode public trust. For the sake of good governance and long-term national stability, I urge you to withdraw this proposal and protect the professional civil service that has supported our democracy through generations of leadership changes.