Bill Overview
Title: Preventing Abusive Government Efforts Act
Description: This bill prohibits the federal government from compiling or maintaining a list or other record of federal employees who have requested or been granted a religious exemption or accommodation regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements. It also requires any such list or record in existence to be destroyed.
Sponsors: Rep. McClain, Lisa C. [R-MI-10]
Target Audience
Population: Federal employees requesting religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination requirements
Estimated Size: 30000
- The bill affects federal employees who have requested or been granted a religious exemption from COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
- The United States federal government employs a large workforce; as of 2021, there were approximately 2.1 million non-postal civilian workers.
- Not all federal employees requested religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination requirements, so the target population is a subset of federal employees.
- An exact number is difficult to determine, but we can assume that a minority of federal employees requested religious exemptions.
Reasoning
- Federal employees who requested religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccination likely had various reasons, such as personal beliefs, fear of job security, or privacy concerns.
- Given the comparatively small size of the target population, even a minor change in policy can have a noticeable effect on their wellbeing.
- Some federal employees outside the target group might perceive the policy positively or negatively, potentially affecting their reported wellbeing due to perceived fairness, privacy, or transparency implications.
- The policy's direct impact on wellbeing will be more pronounced in those processing exemptions, with less impact on the wider federal employee pool.
Simulated Interviews
Administrative officer (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am relieved that my personal decisions won't be recorded by the government.
- I feel like my privacy and religious rights are being respected now.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
IT Specialist (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel good knowing the government is valuing individual privacy.
- I'm glad my friend's decision won't be recorded and used against them.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Federal Healthcare Worker (Texas)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This doesn't directly affect my day-to-day work, as I didn't request any exemptions.
- I support the privacy rights, but it doesn't change much for me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Policy Analyst (Florida)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This sets a good precedent for privacy policies.
- I appreciate measures protecting personal records from unnecessary government tracking.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Government Contractor (Virginia)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this reduces workplace tension regarding vaccination status.
- Policies respecting personal beliefs are important to maintain trust.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Federal Research Scientist (New York)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's always good to see policies that prioritize privacy.
- This doesn't directly change much for me, as I didn't request an exemption.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Project Manager (Maryland)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm relieved knowing my exemption status isn't tracked anymore.
- I feel a bit more secure about my job and privacy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Veterans Affairs Officer (Illinois)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy demonstrates a respect for individual privacy.
- It's positive that people feel more secure regarding their exemptions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Legislative Aide (Georgia)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This reassures me that religious beliefs are taken seriously in policy making.
- Maintaining privacy in healthcare matters is essential for trust.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Federal Conservation Officer (Colorado)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.5 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Clarifying policy around exemption records is a good step.
- While it won’t directly impact me, I think it's fairer for those who did request exemptions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $800000)
Year 2: $100000 (Low: $50000, High: $200000)
Year 3: $100000 (Low: $50000, High: $200000)
Year 5: $100000 (Low: $50000, High: $200000)
Year 10: $50000 (Low: $20000, High: $100000)
Year 100: $50000 (Low: $20000, High: $100000)
Key Considerations
- The primary concern is compliance and thorough implementation across all federal agencies, ensuring no records are retained.
- Interagency coordination is key to aligning the destruction of records seamlessly.
- Estimation of administrative cost is uncertain due to variations in record-keeping practices across different agencies.