119th (2025–2027)
S. 2605
S. 2605 gives the Department of Defense new hiring and pay flexibility to recruit and retain cybersecurity experts. The law allows the Pentagon to create special cyber positions outside the normal civil service system, with the ability to offer higher salaries—up to 150 percent of the Executive Schedule Level I maximum—and additional compensation like bonuses and sabbaticals to compete with private sector offers. The legislation takes effect 30 days after the Defense Secretary submits an implementation plan to Congress. The Pentagon must report annually for five years on hiring metrics, retention rates, and pay incentives, while the Government Accountability Office will assess how these new authorities compare to other federal agencies' cyber hiring efforts. Existing employees in converted positions can refuse the conversion without penalty, and all new hires will have a two-year probationary period.