Executive Order 14317

Creating Schedule G in the Excepted Service

Signed July 17, 2025, printed at 90 FR 34753. 5 sections of substance, 1,060 words.

In plain English

This order creates a new class of federal job. Those posts are filled without the usual hiring rules.

Sec. 1. Purpose

The Congress has recognized that effective Government administration requires excepting some positions from the competitive service based on their confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character. Existing excepted service schedules make partial use of this authority. Schedule C of the excepted service authorizes appointments to noncareer excepted service positions of a confidential or policy-determining character. Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service authorizes appointments to career positions of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character. There is, however, no excepted service schedule for noncareer positions of a policy-making or policy- advocating character. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3302(1), conditions of good administration, including eliminating this gap in excepted service schedules and improving the

In plain English

This explains the gap it fills. Some jobs are kept out of the normal hiring rules. That is allowed for policy or private roles. Schedule C covers such jobs held by appointees. Another schedule covers career jobs of that kind. No schedule covers appointee jobs that make policy. This order fills that gap.

Sec. 2. Definition

The phrase ``normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition'' refers to positions whose occupants are, as a matter of practice, expected to resign upon a Presidential transition and includes all positions whose appointment requires the assent of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.

In plain English

This defines one phrase. The phrase covers jobs that change with a President. It means jobs whose holders are expected to quit at that point. That is how it works in practice. It also covers every job needing White House approval. A personnel office gives that approval.

Sec. 3. Excepted Service

Appointments of individuals to positions of a policy-making or policy-advocating character normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition shall be made under Schedule G of the excepted service, as established by section 4 of this order.

In plain English

This says which jobs go where. Some jobs make policy. Some advocate it. Those jobs normally change with a President. Such appointments must be made under Schedule G. That is a track outside open hiring. A later section of the order creates it.

Sec. 4. Schedule G

Civil Service Rule VI is amended as follows: (a) 5 CFR 6.2 is amended to read: ``OPM shall list positions that it excepts from the competitive service in Schedules A, B, C, D, E, Policy/ Career, and G, which schedules shall constitute parts of this rule, as follows: Schedule A. Positions other than those of a confidential or policy-determining character for which it is not practicable to examine shall be listed in Schedule A. Schedule B. Positions other than those of a confidential or policy-determining character for which it is not practicable to hold a competitive examination shall be listed in Schedule B. Appointments to these positions shall be subject to such noncompetitive examination as may be prescribed by OPM. Schedule C. Positions of a confidential or policy- determining character normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition shall be listed in Schedule

In plain English

This changes a civil service rule. It adds Schedule G to the list. That list already names several schedules. Each covers a kind of job kept out of open hiring. Schedule A is for jobs hard to test for. Schedule B uses a limited test. Schedule C is for policy jobs that change with a President.

Sec. 5. Implementation

(a) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall adopt such regulations as the Director determines may be necessary to implement this order, giving particular attention to appropriate amendments to 5 CFR, part 213. (b) In making appointments to positions in Schedule G of the excepted service, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs: (i) shall consider whether prospective appointees would be suitable exponents of the President's policies; and (ii) shall not take into account prospective appointees' political affiliation or political activity.

In plain English

This says how to carry it out. The personnel office must write rules. A named part of the code needs changes. Veterans Affairs makes the first such hires. It must weigh whether a hire would back the President's aims. It must not weigh party ties. It must not weigh political activity.

Sec. 6. General Provisions

Every order carries this. It is not what the order does.

(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. [[Page 34755]] (d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Office of Personnel Management. <GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT> (Presidential Sig.) THE WHITE HOUSE, July

In plain English

This is the closing clause that nearly every order carries. It says the order does not change what the law already allows. It also says no one can sue to enforce it.

How this order is quoted

Each section is quoted as the order prints it, under its own number and heading. Executive orders are United States government works and are not under copyright. Long sections are cut at a sentence and the whole order is a click away.