Restrictions on NSPS at Issue

One provision in the House version but not the Senate bill would bar DoD from making changes in certain personnel policies under the national security personnel system. The House version bars DoD from spending money in the fiscal year starting October 1 to carry out changes in the parts of law affecting employee appeals of discipline for performance or misconduct reasons, as well as changes in labor-management law. Sponsors of that amendment argued in House debate that the provisions would merely bar spending on parts of the NSPS system that have been blocked by a court injunction. However, DoD argues that the language is unnecessary because it is complying with the court injunction and not spending money on the enjoined parts of the rules.