Members warn civilian cuts risk acquisition and readiness as DOD hiring freezes continue

Committee members raised concerns that proposed reductions in civilian personnel across the Department of Defense will harm contracting, acquisition continuity and readiness.

Ranking Member Betty McCollum said she has talked with many federal employees who report demoralization and voluntary departures following the administration’s personnel actions. “Who will be around to manage the contracting process if DOD needs to get major programs back on track?” she asked.

Acting Secretary Frank Ashworth said the department is executing presidential actions and implementing voluntary programs while trying to protect readiness. “We have been given some tools along the way to make exemptions, and we're trying to make those smart exemptions to balance that equation,” he told the committee, adding the department is undertaking a structural reorganization and will reconcile staffing reductions with mission needs once the analysis is complete.

Members warned of downstream effects if experienced civilians leave acquisition offices—increased costs, delayed contracts and program schedule slips—and urged the department to provide a detailed staffing impact assessment. Ashworth pledged to reconcile organizational optimization work with personnel drawdowns and to provide follow‑up details to the committee.

Lawmakers also pressed on recruiting impacts for military personnel, and service witnesses said continuing resolutions and hiring constraints have already reduced recruiting capacity in some accounts.