HR 1597 Introduced Re-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click.
Compassion for Vulnerable and Struggling Workers Act
To provide that former civil service employees who were wrongfully fired are eligible to enroll in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill allows certain civil service employees who were involuntarily removed from their positions between January 20, 2025, and January 1, 2026, to enroll in or continue coverage under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program. Eligible employees must have been removed without cause, had a fully successful recent performance review, been pregnant at removal, or diagnosed with cancer within five years of removal. The costs for these employees' health coverage would be paid from federal funds saved by the Department of Government Efficiency.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
13 cosponsors
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC)
- Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11] (D-OH)
- Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (D-VA)
- Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9] (D-TX)
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA)
- Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10] (D-NJ)
- Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] (D-WI)
- Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL)
- Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10] (D-VA)
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI)
- Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1] (D-NV)
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI)
- Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] (D-CA)
Actions (2)
- Feb 26, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. · house
- Feb 26, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 26, 2025
Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
A BILL
To provide that former civil service employees who were wrongfully fired are eligible to enroll in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Compassion for Vulnerable and Struggling Workers Act”.
SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY TO ENROLL IN FEHBP FOR FIRED CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES.
(a) Eligibility To Enroll.—
(1) In general.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any individual described in paragraph (2) may elect to continue coverage under, or enroll in, a health benefits plan under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code.
(2) Individuals.—An individual described in this paragraph is any individual who was involuntarily removed from a civil service position during the period beginning on January 20, 2025, and ending on January 1, 2026 and—
(A) who was removed without cause;
(B) whose most recent performance review was at least fully successful (or equivalent);
(C) who was pregnant at the time of the removal; or
(D) who was diagnosed with cancer during the 5-year period preceding the date of removal.
(b) Contributions.—The Government and individual contributions for the health benefits of any individual who makes an affirmative election to be covered under such chapter 89 under subsection (a) shall be derived from any Federal funds saved by the activities of the United States DOGE Service (established by the executive order relating to “Establishing and Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency”’, issued on January 20, 2025). <all>
Comments