Yeah, they had to get re-instated at the beginning of the season.
Actually that could be it. They're probably just exaggerating since they are likely on a tighter leash than they were before. At the beginning of the season they did talk about how Kayabuki, the new Prime Minister, might keep them on a tighter leash. But Aramaki won't really let that happen in any way that hurts the team and its members as we always see.