GSA leader says veterans' hiring priority is blocking tech talent recruitment

Pete Waterman, who leads the governmentwide FedRAMP security program, warned on social media that the veterans' preference policy is effectively barring his team from evaluating non-veteran tech candidates, forcing offers to veterans first. This limitation is hampering the Tech Force effort, a two-year hiring initiative started under the Trump administration to attract software and data engineers, which has only placed about 180 to 200 workers against a goal of 1,000.

Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management, noted that federal hiring timelines are inherently lengthy. While Waterman's comments attracted support, a veteran CEO and a Treasury Department recruiter urged that the issue be addressed through improved HR practices rather than blaming the preference rule. Jenny Mattingley of the Partnership for Public Service highlighted that many hiring rules, including veterans' preference, date back to World War II and now act as procedural obstacles, especially as HR staffing has been reduced. She cited examples where agencies apply the preference after assessing all applicants' qualifications, suggesting a more balanced approach.