Conaway Introduces Bill to Enforce Hatch Act During Government Shutdowns

Washington, D.C. — Monday, Congressman Herb Conaway Jr., M.D. introduced the Hatch Enforcement Act, legislation that ensures the continued enforcement of the Hatch Act in the event of a federal government shutdown.

This bill comes in response to repeated and blatant violations of the Hatch Act by the Trump administration, which has turned what should be an impartial, apolitical federal government into a platform for partisan attacks and political propaganda.

Under current law, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), which oversees Hatch Act enforcement, suspends operations during a government shutdown, leaving no mechanism to address or investigate violations. During the current shutdown, several federal agencies — including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Justice (DOJ), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Small Business Administration (SBA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and even the official White House website — used their public platforms to distribute partisan messages and assign political blame.

“This administration has weaponized the federal government to serve as a political extension of the President and his campaign,” said Congressman Conaway. “Government websites and agencies exist to serve the American people, not to promote partisan talking points or political propaganda. Especially during a shutdown, when families are looking to their government for resources and clarity, the last thing they should see is political spin.”

“The Hatch Enforcement Act will make sure accountability does not shut down when the government does. The American people deserve a government that works for them, free from partisanship or political interference.”