HR 2578119th CongressIn Committee

Drug Testing for Special Government Employees Act

Introduced: Apr 1, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.R. 2578, the Drug Testing for Special Government Employees Act, would require drug testing for special government employees (SGEs) in sensitive positions. Before a prospective SGE begins service, an agency head must ensure they undergo a drug test conducted under the federal Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs. Within 90 days after enactment, agencies must place any SGE already in a sensitive position on a random drug-testing program aligned with those guidelines. If an individual tests positive, consequences follow: prospective SGEs would be ineligible for appointment for at least 12 months, while current SGEs would be removed from the civil service and barred from appointment as an SGE for at least 12 months. The bill defines key terms (controlled substances, agency, sensitive position, and SGE) and includes the Executive Office of the President and the Office of Management and Budget as agencies covered by the measure. Overall, the bill aims to strengthen security and reliability for SGEs who handle sensitive information or duties by ensuring they are drug-free, with specific admission and removal penalties tied to test results.

Key Points

1Pre-service testing: Before a person can serve as an SGE in a given agency, the agency head must require a drug test for that individual using the federal guidelines.
2Post-enactment random testing: Within 90 days after enactment, agencies must place all SGEs in sensitive positions who are employed on enactment day into a random drug-testing program under the same guidelines.
3Consequences for positives (prospective): Individuals who test positive before appointment are ineligible for an SGE appointment for at least 12 months from the agency’s determination of a positive result.
4Consequences for positives (current): Current SGEs who test positive must be removed from the civil service and be ineligible for SGE appointment for at least 12 months from the positive result determination.
5Definitions and scope: The bill defines “controlled substance,” “agency,” “sensitive position,” and “special Government employee,” and includes the Executive Office of the President and the Office of Management and Budget as covered agencies.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Special Government Employees in sensitive positions (those with access to classified information, security-critical roles, or mission-critical duties). They would face mandatory pre-service testing and, for those in place on enactment, mandatory random testing, with penalties for positive results.Secondary group/area affected: Federal agencies that hire or employ SGEs, including the Executive Office of the President and the Office of Management and Budget, which would implement testing programs and enforce consequences.Additional impacts: Potential effects on recruitment and retention of SGEs due to the testing and penalties; increased costs and administrative burden for agencies to administer testing programs; privacy and civil liberties considerations for employees and prospective hires; alignment with existing federal drug-testing guidelines and potential implications for handling medical or medicinal substance use concerns.

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