The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) would have fewer bureaucratic hurdles to jump over when hiring personnel under legislation led on Feb. 9 by U.S. Rep. Vince Fong (R-CA).
“Drug trafficking continues to devastate communities across the country, including right here in California’s Central Valley,” Rep. Fong said. “Our families deserve safe neighborhoods, which cannot happen unless law enforcement has the officers and resources necessary to tackle the ongoing drug crisis.”
The congressman sponsored the Hiring Improvement and Recruitment Empowerment for DEA Act, H.R. 7413, also known as the HIRE DEA Act, with two Republican cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA), to provide temporary direct hire authority to the Attorney General for purposes of appointing qualified candidates to DEA positions.
“The HIRE DEA Act cuts unnecessary red tape and gives the DEA the ability to quickly hire the personnel needed to disrupt trafficking networks and keep dangerous drugs off our streets,” said Rep. Fong.
The legislation would grant the DEA direct hire authority for fiscal years 2027 through 2034, including for program managers, project managers, criminal investigators and special agents, intelligence analysts and research specialists, forensic specialists, and community outreach coordinators.
The legislation, which is supported by the DEA and the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, has been referred for consideration to both the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.