WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), Congressman Blake Moore (R-UT-01), and Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), is urging the Department of Defense (DoD) to lift hiring restrictions impacting military depots, arsenals, shipyards, and maintenance facilities. These restrictions, despite an exemption policy in place since March 2025, continue to hinder operations critical to national security, according to the group’s letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Military depots ensure our servicemembers have access to the weapons systems and platforms they need to keep our nation safe,” Senator Fetterman said. “Preventing depots from hiring the staff they need to aid our troops and respond to global threats isn’t efficient.”
Current policies, such as restrictions on software onboarding systems like USAStaffing.gov and limitations allowing only one new hire for every four employees departing, have left essential maintenance roles vacant. These challenges are particularly significant for facilities such as Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Army Depots in Pennsylvania, which rely on staff to generate billable hours for the Working Capital Fund.
Congressman Moore highlighted the broader implications, especially for facilities like Utah’s Ogden Air Logistics Complex. “Our depots are struggling to keep up with workload in the wake of ongoing federal workforce changes and are losing talented employees to the private sector,” he noted. “Our ability to maintain deterrence against adversaries like Russia and China depends on it.”
Congressman Sorensen added, “The workers at our arsenals, depots, and shipyards are essential to keeping our military ready and our country safe. They can’t do that if we don’t let them hire the people they need.”
The bipartisan letter emphasizes the urgency of addressing these hiring restrictions to bolster military readiness and ensure key facilities can fulfill their missions. Easing these limitations would enable depots to retain talent, improve operational efficiency, and sustain national security.
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