What is the history of the Pendleton Act?
Legislative history. The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act is a United States federal law passed by the 47th United States Congress and signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur on January 16, 1883.
Who sponsored the Pendleton-Eaton Act?
The Act was sponsored by Senator George H. Pendleton, Democratic Senator of Ohio, and written by Dorman Bridgeman Eaton, a staunch opponent of the patronage system who was later first chairman of the United States Civil Service Commission. However, the law would also prove to be a major political liability for Arthur.
What is the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act?
The 47th Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act during its lame duck session and President Chester A. Arthur, himself a former spoilsman, signed the bill into law. The Pendleton Civil Service Act provided for the selection of some government employees by competitive exams, rather than ties to politicians or political affiliation.
Does the Pendleton Act apply to all federal employees?
The act now covers a majority of federal employees. Although state patronage systems and numerous federal positions were unaffected by the law, Karabell argues that the Pendleton Act was instrumental in the creation of a professional civil service and the rise of the modern bureaucratic state.
What are some examples of the Pendleton Act’s necessity?
This is a perfect example of the Pendleton Act’s necessity, as the deadly incident would not have occurred had these provisions been in place from the beginning. On July 2, 1881, Guiteau shot Garfield twice in the back. Many people who are employed by the government, whether federal, state, or local, are considered to be “civil service employees.”