Ranking Member Connolly Demands OPM Rescind the Redesignation of SES Chief Information Officers

Washington, D.C. (February 25, 2025)—Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Acting Director Charles Ezell requesting the agency rescind its memorandum regarding the redesignation of agency Senior Executive Service (SES) Chief Information Officer (CIO) positions.  In his letter, Ranking Member Connolly cites his concerns that the memorandum is yet another attempt to use partisan political attacks to sideline and marginalize career professionals in the federal government under the guise of promoting government efficiency: 

“I am concerned that CIO leadership is the latest victim of the Administration’s anti-Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility crusade and broader effort to replace career civil servants with individuals who are, first and foremost, loyal to the President and his political agenda.  The Administration justifies the changes outlined in the memorandum by noting that CIOs have responsibility for ‘controversial political topics,’ including ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.’  The Administration is advancing other substantial changes to the SES that we are concerned with politicizing the cadre of advanced professionals who run some of the most technical and important missions in our government.”

The reclassification of federal CIOs would undermine the bipartisan work the Committee has done on federal information technology (IT.)  In 2014, Ranking Member Connolly and then-Chairman Darrell Issa introduced the bipartisan Federal Information Technology Acquisition Act (FITARA).  Throughout the years, the Committee has conducted dedicated and consistent oversight of implementation of nearly 20 FITARA Scorecard hearings and roundtables.   

“This memorandum represents an unfortunate departure from this bipartisan record.  As such, I request that you immediately revoke this memorandum and brief my staff on all plans regarding changes of policy regarding federal CIOs.  Better government technology management is an unalloyed good for the American people and repeated bipartisan action shows that this issue transcends party division.  The DOGE operators currently wreaking havoc on government systems have shown the importance of dedicated, expert civil servants in IT positions,” continued Ranking Member Connolly. 

In addition to urging a cease to this attack on the civil service, Ranking Member Connolly requested a briefing on future IT personnel classification plans from the Acting OPM Director no later than March 11, 2025. 

Click here to read the letter to Acting Director Ezell.