A new bill from Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) would create more job flexibility for federal workers who move because they’re married to service members reporting to new duty stations.

“My wife Angie packed, unpacked and moved our family 16 times during my nearly 30 years in the Air Force, putting her career second,” Bacon said in a joint press release. “These federally employed spouses support their significant others just like my wife did, and we should guarantee they have the flexibility to remain in the federal service when forced to relocate through no choice of their own.”

According to a bill summary, The Resilient Employment and Authorization Determination to Increase National Employment of Serving Spouses (READINESS) Act would allow any federal employee married to a service member to request a determination on whether they can work remotely, be reassigned or be transferred to a comparable job.

“Without increased flexibility for working military spouses during periods of a servicemembers’ redeployment or transfer, military families are being forced to choose between military service and financial stability for their families – and that isn’t a choice we should be asking our service members to make,” Crockett said.

The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Richard Hudson (R-Va.), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.).

ADC photo of Bacon, left, by Will Noonan