On March 27, 2025, the White House announced an executive order that exempts certain federal labor-management relations programs for agencies involved in national security and intelligence work. This order, issued by the President, specifies several departments, including the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, which primarily focus on national security and therefore cannot operate under the provisions of Chapter 71 of Title 5 of the United States Code.

The executive order also outlines additional exclusions and establishes a framework allowing the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to suspend labor relations provisions for specific subdivisions. This measure ensures that national security needs can be addressed without the constraints typically imposed by labor-management statutes. Additionally, the Secretary of Transportation is permitted to exclude certain subdivisions from labor-management relations coverage to maintain efficiency in the national transportation system.

Furthermore, the order mandates agency heads to report on subdivisions that may not currently be covered by the amended executive order but have primary functions related to national security. Overall, this measure aims to strengthen national security protocols by granting flexibility in workforce management for agencies responsible for critical national security tasks.

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