AMERICAN FED OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO for AMERICAN FED OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AFL-CIO

Budget/Appropriations BUD

FY 2014 Budget Resolution - provisions to increase the Department of Veterans Affairs health care budget with particular attention to budget reconciliation, legislation, blue collar pay, white collar pay, minimum wage, retirement, part-time annuity computations, and compensatory time.FY 2014 Senate Budget Resolution - Medicaid cuts that would adversely affect health care and result in the cost of uncompensated health care being shifted to employer-sponsored health care plans. FY 2014 Budget Resolution - conference agreement providing for an increase for veterans health care programs. FY 2013 Homeland Security Appropriations - provisions on funding for Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Federal Emergency Management Agency. DHS Personnel Plan - provisions to halt the Administration's plan to reduce the Federal Protective Service workforce. Amendments to mitigate statutory changes to the Screening Partnership Program (SPP). FY 2014 Military Quality of Life/Veterans Affairs Appropriations - provisions to provide funding for VA health and benefits programs, and contracting out. FY 2014 Interior and Environmental Appropriations - provisions on contracting out of federal employee jobs. FY 2014 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations - provisions on contracting out, cuts in funds for job training and employment services, college aid for students, rural health care services, funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and contracting out at NIH, and the increase in Social Security Administration's administrative budget to ease processing backlog of more than 600,000 disability claims. FY 2014 Financial Services Appropriations - contractor compensation provisions to make the A-76 process less unfair to federal employees and more accountable to taxpayers, establish a reliable contractor inventory, and promote insourcing. Lobbying to ensure A-76 prohibitions and the DoD cost comparison requirement are retained in the comparable Senate bills as well as in the ultimate conference reports. FY 2014 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations - amendment to prohibit funds from being used to close or consolidate any EEOC office or make any reductions in force stemming from workforce repositioning, restructuring, or organizing of the EEOC; provision preventing use of CJS funds for A-76 competition for BoP/FPI work; and funding for BOP "Salaries and Expenses" as it relates to prison inmate overcrowding; correctional personnel understaffing; and the ever increasing prison inmate assaults showing the need to improve safety and security at BoP institutions. FY 2014 Agriculture Appropriations - provisions on contracting out of federal employee jobs and funding cuts for the Food Safety and Inspection Service. FY 2014 Defense Appropriations - provisions on contracting out of federal employee jobs, furloughs, and sourcing and workforce management issues concerning DoD civilian employees, in particular, the Pentagon's "Efficiency Initiative" capping DoD's civilian workforce at FY10 levels and increasing use and spending on service contractors regardless of cost or legal requirements making even inherently governmental functions difficult to insource; also lobbying in opposition to inclusion of "special rule relating to DoD purchases of Federal Prisons Industry textile and apparel products." HR 4310, Coffman Amendment, (#54) to FY 13 NDAA, would prevent DoD from correcting through insourcing poorly awarded or performing contracts to deliberately make sourcing process pro-contractor.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Air Force, Dept of; Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); U.S. Marines; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Navy, Dept of; Defense Commissary Agency; Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Merit Systems Protection Board; Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Army, Dept of (Other)

Bills named: H.R. 4310 (113th)

Agriculture AGR

FY 2014 Agriculture Appropriations - provisions relating to the pay, benefits, staffing levels, and job security of USDA employees. Oppose FSIS proposed chicken slaughter plant rule.

Contacted: Interior, Dept of (DOI); Defense Commissary Agency; Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Navy, Dept of; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Merit Systems Protection Board; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); U.S. Marines; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Air Force, Dept of; Army, Dept of (Other); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS)

Immigration IMM

FY 2014 Homeland Security Appropriations - provisions on the Border Patrol and INS, with particular attention to contracting out, pay, benefits, staffing levels, and job security of DHS employees.

Contacted: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Navy, Dept of; SENATE; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Army, Dept of (Other); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Merit Systems Protection Board; U.S. Marines; Air Force, Dept of; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Defense Commissary Agency

Defense DEF

FY 2014 Defense Appropriations and Authorization - provisions on contracting out of federal employee jobs. Civilian employee furloughs and contractor provisions related to programs and policies impacting industrial facilities, specifically related to depot maintenance, arsenals, and organic industrial facilities.Also, to include more favorable language on direct conversions and contractor inventories and to lift the cap on civilian employees. FY 2014 Financial Services Appropriations bill - provisions regarding pay, benefits, and sourcing, and to retain government-wide prohibition against A-76. HR 5854, opposing provisions to freeze salaries of civilians in DoD and DVA .

Contacted: Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); SENATE; Merit Systems Protection Board; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Air Force, Dept of; Navy, Dept of; Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Labor, Dept of (DOL); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); U.S. Marines; Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Army, Dept of (Other); Defense Commissary Agency; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Bills named: H.R. 5854 (113th)

Civil Rights/Civil Liberties CIV

FY 2014 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations - provisions on reorganization plan that may compromise the EEOC's ability to protect employees from employment discrimination.

Contacted: SENATE; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Navy, Dept of; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Air Force, Dept of; Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Defense Commissary Agency; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); U.S. Marines; Merit Systems Protection Board; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Army, Dept of (Other); Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Health Issues HCR

Possible bill to increase the federal government's share of health benefits premiums for its employees and retirees. Possible changes to recently passed health care reform legislation.

Contacted: Labor, Dept of (DOL); Defense Commissary Agency; Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Merit Systems Protection Board; Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Defense, Dept of (DOD); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Air Force, Dept of; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Army, Dept of (Other); SENATE; Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Navy, Dept of; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); U.S. Marines; Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS)

Veterans VET

Reintroduction of bill to amend Section 7422 of Title 38 - provides medical professionals with collective bargaining rights, including the right to resolve disputes with management over matters affecting working conditions through grievances, arbitrations, and negotiations. Bills would give VA registered nurses, psychiatrists, doctors, and dentists the same bargaining rights as their counterparts in military hospitals and prison facilities.Lobbying on draft bills to: -- Provide Title 38 employees with equal bargaining rights. -- Provide VA Canteen Service employees with Title 5 rights to appeal terminations. -- Provide VA health care employees appointed under Title 38 with equal rights to appeal to Merit Systems Protection Board and Department of Labor when their veterans' preference rights are violated. -- Make technical fixes to Caregiver Act (PL 111-163) relating to VA personnel provisions. -- Request for oversight of Veterans Benefit Administration personnel issues, including performance standards and training. -- Request for oversight of VA health care personnel issues, including recruitment and retention of VA physicians and registered nurses. -- HR 813/S 932, Putting Veterans Funding First Act of 2013; expand advance appropriations to the rest of the VA budget, beyond health care. --S 928, Claims Processing Improvement Act of 2013; establish a working group to improve work credit and work management systems of the Veterans Benefits Administration; mandate of additional help to veterans to secure federal records.

Contacted: Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Merit Systems Protection Board; Army, Dept of (Other); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); U.S. Marines; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Labor, Dept of (DOL); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); SENATE; Air Force, Dept of; Defense Commissary Agency; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Navy, Dept of; Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Interior, Dept of (DOI)

Bills named: H.R. 813 (113th)

Foreign Relations FOR

FY 2014 Foreign Operations Appropriations - provisions on the pay, benefits, staffing levels, and job security of the Department of State employees. Provisions that adversely affect Voice of America Employees, particularly in Greenville Transmitting Station in North Carolina.

Contacted: SENATE; Merit Systems Protection Board; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); U.S. Marines; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Defense Commissary Agency; Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Interior, Dept of (DOI); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Air Force, Dept of; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Navy, Dept of; Army, Dept of (Other); Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

Housing HOU

FY 2014 Financial Services Appropriations - provisions on contracting out; and pay, benefits, staffing levels, and job security of HUD employees. Also, HUD proposals (1) to reorganize the Field Offices of the Office of Multi-family Housing Programs and (2) to close all Small Office Project Field Offices of the Office of Field Policy and Management.

Contacted: Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Navy, Dept of; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); SENATE; Army, Dept of (Other); Defense Commissary Agency; Merit Systems Protection Board; Air Force, Dept of; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); U.S. Marines

District of Columbia DOC

FY 2014 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations - provisions on contracting out A-76, and Budget Reconciliation with particular attention to the pay, benefits, staffing levels, and job security of DC Government employees.Enforcement of DC and federal law, and collective bargaining agreements involving increased oversight of the conversion of public worker jobs to private contractors. S. 2170, the Hatch Act Modernization Act of 2012, provisions addressing outdated and unclear restrictions of political activities of federal and DC Government employees and to ensure DC employees are treated the same as state or local workers for purposes of the Hatch Act.

Contacted: Air Force, Dept of; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); U.S. Marines; SENATE; Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Army, Dept of (Other); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Navy, Dept of; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Defense Commissary Agency; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Merit Systems Protection Board; Labor, Dept of (DOL); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: S. 2170 (113th)

Family issues/Abortion/Adoption FAM

HR 616, Federal Employee Paid Parental Leave Act - provisions providing executive and legislative branch federal employees the opportunity as parents to bond with newborn infants, newly adopted children, or fostered children by providing them with 4 weeks of paid parental leave.Lobbying House to accept the Senate-passed Violence Against Women Act bill. Working on modifying legislation that will require criminal background checks and possible termination of federal employees who work with children on military bases.

Contacted: Merit Systems Protection Board; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); U.S. Marines; Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); SENATE; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Army, Dept of (Other); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Defense Commissary Agency; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Navy, Dept of; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Air Force, Dept of; Interior, Dept of (DOI)

Bills named: H.R. 616 (113th)

Government Issues GOV

FY 2014 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations - amendment to prohibit bill from being used to implement the pro-contractor revision of OMB Circular A-76; Civil Service Reform; contracting out; blue collar pay; minimum wage; federal retirement systems; union representation; and contractor compensation.HR 122, Federal Employee Accountability Act/H.AMD 226, to the FAA Fair Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act preventing FAA employee representatives from engaging in union business during the work day severely limiting official time and minimizing contact between the union and FAA employees. HR 2145/S. 1143 - To amend title 5, United States Code, and eliminate the automatic payroll deduction of union dues for federal employees. HR 1470 - to amend Title 5 USC and extend the probationary period for federal workers from one to two years. S 47 - Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 - provisions that may reduce funding levels and lessen protections for victims of domestic violence.

Contacted: Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Army, Dept of (Other); Defense Commissary Agency; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Interior, Dept of (DOI); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Navy, Dept of; U.S. Marines; Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Labor, Dept of (DOL); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); SENATE; Merit Systems Protection Board; Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Air Force, Dept of; Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Bills named: S. 1143 (113th), H.R. 122 (113th), H.R. 2145 (113th), H.R. 1470 (113th)

Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.) FOO

FY 2014 Agriculture Appropriations - provisions on contracting out of federal employees jobs and potential food and public safety risk. Funding cut of meat and poultry inspection program and recommendation to expand the controversial pilot inspection program, HIMP, putting plant managers, not inspectors, in charge of quality control and contamination.

Contacted: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Defense Commissary Agency; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Air Force, Dept of; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Navy, Dept of; Merit Systems Protection Board; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); U.S. Marines; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Personnel Management (OPM); SENATE; Army, Dept of (Other); Defense, Dept of (DOD)

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

FY 2014 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations - amendment to prohibit funds from being used to close or consolidate any office of the EEOC or to make reductions in force part of any workforce repositioning, restructuring, or organizing of the EEOC.FY 2014 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill - provisions on cuts in funds for job training and employment services, college aid for students, rural health care services, funding for the National Institutes of Health, and increasing the Social Security Administration's administrative budget to ease processing backlog of more than 600,000 disability claims. HR 616, Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act - proposal to provide federal employees who are new parents or adoptive parents with eights weeks of full pay and benefits. S 572/HR 807 - provisions to provide health care professionals with equal rights to bargain over compensation matters. HR 1409/S 560, Employee Free Choice Act, establishment of a pro-worker system for employees to form, join, or assist a labor organization thus assuring workers the right to bargain for better working conditions, wages, and benefits. HR 828 - proposal to terminate federal employees who have seriously delinquent tax debt due the Internal Revenue Service. HR 1383, Air Force Depot Workers Fairness Act - provision on compensatory time and a half. HR 1169, National Guard Technician Equity Act - provisions to correct outdated sections in current laws that harm Title 32 National Guard and Reserve issues, including dual status and retiree health care. HR 3493, Locality Pay Equity Act - provisions to align blue collar and white collar wage areas. HR 673 and HR 675, Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act - provisions to provide law enforcement officer status to many different groups of federal employees. HR 324, to amend Title 10 USC to provide federal Civilian Police Officers, Civilian Criminal Investigators, and Civilian Game Law Enforcement Officers in the Department of Defense the authority to execute warrants, make arrests, and carry firearms. HR 658, FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011, in regards to official time use of elected volunteer federal employee union representatives at FAA to engage in representation responsibilities on behalf of employees in their collective bargaining units. HR 1470, provision to extend the probationary period for federal workers from one year to two years. S 3221, RAISE Act, lobbied against giving an employer the right to ignore a negotiated and ratified collective bargaining agreement. Lobbied against Congressional Republican leadership proposal to extend current rate for student loans for one year by permanently raising taxes sole on middle income federal employees. Lobbied to transition to the use of $1 coins and to end the use of $1 bills.

Contacted: Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Navy, Dept of; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Army, Dept of (Other); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Merit Systems Protection Board; Defense Commissary Agency; Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Air Force, Dept of; Transportation Security Administration (TSA); SENATE; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); U.S. Marines; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 807 (113th), H.R. 3493 (113th), H.R. 1383 (113th), H.R. 1169 (113th), H.R. 324 (113th), H.R. 1470 (113th), H.R. 828 (113th), H.R. 1409 (113th), H.R. 658 (113th), H.R. 616 (113th), H.R. 675 (113th), H.R. 673 (113th)

Homeland Security HOM

FY 2014 Homeland Security Appropriations - provisions on the pay, benefits, contracting out and staffing levels, funding, and job security of DHS employees in Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (reform of current overtime system), Citizenship and Immigration Services (Sessions Amendment targeting CIS Information Officers and other specificoccupations and job titles changes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Transportation Security Administration. S 772, Secure Facilities Act of 2011, Federal Protective Service reform for adequately staffing and funding of this Homeland Security Agency. HR 3116/S 1546 - DHS Authorization Act of 2011/FY 2012 - provisions that may affect the pay, benefits, and sourcing of federal employees in these agencies. HR 1344 - Helping Heroes Fly Act - to provide expedited screening for seriously wounded or disabled active duty and military veterans.

Contacted: Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); U.S. Marines; Army, Dept of (Other); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Navy, Dept of; Air Force, Dept of; Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Personnel Management (OPM); SENATE; Defense Commissary Agency; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Merit Systems Protection Board; Interior, Dept of (DOI)

Bills named: H.R. 3116 (113th), H.R. 1344 (113th)

Natural Resources NAT

FY 2014 Interior and Environmental Appropriations - provisions on the pay, benefits, staffing levels, job security, and contracting out of Department of Interior employees.

Contacted: Merit Systems Protection Board; Interior, Dept of (DOI); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Air Force, Dept of; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); SENATE; U.S. Marines; Natl Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Labor, Dept of (DOL); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Army, Dept of (Other); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Navy, Dept of; Defense Commissary Agency; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Office of Personnel Management (OPM)