Lawmaker from Virginia assumes role in promoting legislative measures for federal employees
New Representative James Walkinshaw Steps Up to Defend Federal Workers' Rights
James Walkinshaw, the newly elected representative for Virginia, has taken over the mantle from the late Gerry Connolly in advocating for the rights, pay, and civil service protections of federal workers. Walkinshaw's victory margin was a resounding 50 percentage points, and he defeated Republican Stewart Whiston in a special election.
Walkinshaw has expressed his deep respect for civil servants, stating that they are the backbone of the federal government, providing essential services that Americans rely on daily. He has wasted no time in taking up bills aimed at boosting federal workers' health and retirement benefits, as well as their reproductive health care.
One of the bills Walkinshaw is now leading is the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act (H.R. 493). This bill aims to provide a "market rate" annual pay raise, above the 1% reserved for most federal workers by President Trump's alternative pay plan. The pay increase proposed by this bill would be a significant boost for federal employees, who have seen stagnant wages over the past few years.
Another bill that Walkinshaw is championing is the Family Building FEHB Fairness Act (H.R. 1670). This bill would expand federal workers' insurance coverage of in-vitro fertilization and other assisted reproductive technologies, ensuring that these important services are accessible to federal employees who need them.
Walkinshaw has also taken over bills aimed at improving federal workers' retirement benefits. The Saving the Civil Service Act (H.R. 492) seeks to block the Trump administration's bid to politicize portions of the federal civil service. This act would prevent the Office of Personnel Management from issuing final regulations for the renamed Schedule F, a category that aimed to strip tens of thousands of federal employees in policy-related positions of their civil service protections. As of September 2025, no final regulatory rules have been issued by the Office of Personnel Management, and the act aims to prevent this from happening.
The Saving the Civil Service Act also includes the Equal COLA Act (H.R. 491), which would standardize federal retirees' annual cost-of-living adjustments. Under this year's iteration of the bill, federal retirees would receive an average 4.3% pay increase in 2026, which would not be reduced by as much as one-third due to inflation data extrapolation.
Walkinshaw has requested and received unanimous consent to become the lead sponsor for four bills previously introduced by Connolly. He is honored to carry forward Connolly's legacy by advancing bills to defend the rights, pay, reproductive health care, and retirement security of federal workers. Gerry Connolly, the previous representative, was a fierce champion for federal workers, reminding that protecting federal workers means protecting the American people they serve.
Walkinshaw's efforts to defend federal workers are a testament to his commitment to public service and his understanding of the vital role that civil servants play in the functioning of the federal government. His leadership is much needed in these challenging times, and he has already shown that he is up to the task.
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