Government Executive Get the latest on need-to-know topics for federal employees delivered to your inbox. email House Panel Advances Bill Aimed at Preventing Future Schedule F Efforts The measure would require congressional approval for any efforts to add new classifications of jobs outside of the federal government’s competitive service. The House Oversight and Reform Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to advance legislation that would block efforts by future presidents to unilaterally exempt portions of the federal workforce from civil service protections. The Preventing a Patronage System Act (H.R. 302) was introduced by Reps. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., in response to former President Trump’s effort to establish a new Schedule F within the excepted service for federal employees in policy-related positions and strip them of their civil service protections.