Federal government expands intern wages and student recruitment pipelines
S. 2786 — Pipeline to Service Act · Filed by Andy Kim (D-NJ) · Introduced Sep 11, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill establishes two federal workforce development programs: (1) an OPM-led partnership with colleges to recruit and train students for federal jobs, with $15M/year funding and a requirement that 30% target minority-serving institutions; and (2) a revamped Presidential Management Fellows Program that doubles the number of fellows annually (fiscal 2026–2031), requires 80+ hours of annual training, developmental rotations, and mentorship, and allows conversion to permanent civil service roles after successful completion. Interns in all federal agencies must be paid at least $15/hour, adjusted annually for inflation.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is establishing recruitment pipelines into federal service, mandating intern compensation standards, and restructuring the Presidential Management Fellows Program to expand and professionalize early-career federal leadership development. It is straightforward workforce policy with no hidden provisions.
What the text implies
- The $15/hour intern minimum may create budget pressure on agencies with large intern cohorts, potentially reducing total intern hiring or shifting costs to other programs.
- Doubling PMF positions (2026–2031) commits federal agencies to absorb 200% of prior-year fellow slots, which may strain onboarding capacity and supervisory resources in smaller agencies.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Federal interns (wage floor increase); Students from minority-serving institutions and community colleges (recruitment partnerships); Federal agencies (access to trained early-career talent pipeline)