1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Political Appointee Burrowing Prevention Act . 2. Limitation on employment of political appointees in career civil service positions (a) In general Subchapter I of chapter 31 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 3115. Employment of political appointees (a) Appointment approval required (1) In general The head of an agency may not appoint any individual described in paragraph (5) to a career position within the agency without receiving prior written approval from the Associate Director for Merit Systems Accountability and Compliance, consistent with the requirements of this subsection. (2) Request The head of an agency shall submit a request to the Associate Director to approve the appointment of any individual described in paragraph (5) to a career position. Any such request shall include certification by the head of the agency to the Associate Director that the appointment is necessary for the agency to meet its mission. (3) Review and determination The Associate Director shall review any request received pursuant to paragraph (2) and deny any such request unless the Associate Director determines that the appointment process with respect to the request was fair, open, and free from political influence. If the Associate Director makes that determination, the Associate Director may approve the request. (4) Notification to Congress With respect to any request approved under paragraph (3), the Associate Director shall, not less than five days before the date the Associate Director provides approval to the head of the requesting agency, provide to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate the agency certification under paragraph (2) and the agency head’s rationale for that certification. (5) Covered individuals An individual described in this paragraph is— (A) a political appointee