Congressman Krishnamoorthi Applauds Oversight Committee’s Bipartisan Approval of Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act, Urges House to Bring Bill to Floor

WASHINGTON – This afternoon, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform voted to approve Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s (D-IL) bipartisan Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act. The committee’s passage sets up a full vote by the full House in the coming weeks.

“Today’s bipartisan vote is an important step toward tearing down the ‘paper ceiling’ that has kept too many hardworking Americans—especially workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs)—from competing for federal contracting opportunities,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “By ensuring agencies evaluate contractors based on demonstrated skills rather than outdated degree requirements, we can open more doors for STARs, strengthen our federal workforce, and make better use of taxpayer dollars. I urge House leadership to bring this bill to the floor without delay.”

The Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act requires federal agencies to justify any minimum education or experience requirements included in contract solicitations, helping ensure that applicants are evaluated on their ability to perform the work rather than on credentials that may not reflect actual competence. The bill builds on ongoing federal efforts to expand skills-based hiring, increase competition, and remove unnecessary barriers across the federal workforce.

The full bill is available here.