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

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: Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); U.S. Marines; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Defense Commissary Agency; Navy, Dept of; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Air Force, Dept of; SENATE; Army, Dept of (Other); Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Defense, Dept of (DOD); U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Budget/Appropriations BUD

FY 2014 Budget Resolution - provisions to increase the Department of Veterans Affairs health care budget with regard 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 are programs. HR 3223, lobbied for this legislation which would make whole federal employees who were furloughed because of the lapse in appropriations. S 1567, lobbied for Sen Cardins legislation to provide backpay for civil servants furloughed because of budgetary disagreement. HJ Res 89, the Federal Worker Pay Fairness Act, to pay federal employees who were required to work without waiting for the government to reopen. HR 3273, lobbied against the Bicameral Working Group on Deficit Reduction and Economic Growth, whose failure to reach agreement resulted in imposition of sequestration. As a result, Federal agencies furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal employees for over a week. FY 2014 Homeland Security Appropriations - provisions on funding for Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Citizenship and Immigration Services, 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. 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 funding for job training and employment services, college aid for students, rural health care services, funding for the National Institutes of Health 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 retained in the comparable Senate bills as well as in the ultimate conference reports. HR 2786 and exclusion of the government-wide prohibition on new A-76 studies. 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 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 - Lamborn floor amendment to eliminate or significantly restrict DoD's discretion to impose furloughs. Other provisions on contracting out of federal employee jobs, furloughs, and sourcing and workforce management issues concerning DoD civilian employees, in particular, the Pentagon's use and spending on service contractors regardless of cost of legal requirements making even inherently governmental functions difficult to insource.Kilmer Amendment to stop DoD from denying someone a security clearance because they had fallen into financial hardship due to sequester furloughs. Lobbying in opposition to inclusion of "special rule relating to DoD purchases of Federal Prisons Industry textile and apparel products."

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

Bills named: H.R. 3273 (113th), H.J.Res. 89 (113th), H.R. 3223 (113th), H.R. 2786 (113th)

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 facilities. HR 1960, Rigell amendment, to give DoD discretion to conduct OMB Circular A-76privatization studies. Lobbying 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. FY 2014 National Defense Authorization (NDAA)--lobbied for Sanders' amendment that would increase the minimum wage to at least $14 an hour for work performed in the U.S. HR 5854, opposing provisions to freeze salaries of civilians in DoD and DVA.

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

Bills named: H.R. 5854 (113th), H.R. 1960 (113th)

Civil Rights/Civil Liberties CIV

FY 2014 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations - provisions on reorganization plan that may compromise EEOC's ability to protect employees from employment discrimination.Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to prohibit employers from hiring, refusing to promote, or refusing to hire employees because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

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

Agriculture AGR

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

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

Health Issues HCR

Possible bill to increase the federal government's share of health benefits premiums for its employees and retirees. Lobbied on proposed changes to FEHBP that could benefit some federal employees and harm others, while shifting more of cost burden on federal employees and retirees. And to ensure any legislation to implement these changes will not harm FEHBP enrollees.

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

Veterans VET

Lobbied for advance appropriations for VA health care to shield most employees during in anticipation of furloughs. Lobbied on Veterans Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution to fund benefits paid to veterans and personnel costs for processing disability payments, GI Bill, education training, and VA home loans.HR 813/S 932 - to extend advance appropriations to benefits, cemeteries, and other VA operations to further stabilize VA operations and staffing. HR 1907 - the Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2013. HR 2765 - to extend veterans' preference rights to over 80,000 VA health care employees (both Hybrid Title 38 and Pure Title 38). HR 813/ S 932, Putting Veterans Funding First Act of 2013 to expand advance appropriations to the rest of the VA budget, beyond health care. S 928, Claims Processing Improvement Act of 2013 - lobbying to establish a working group to improve work credit and work management systems of the Veterans Benefits Administration and mandate of additional help to veterans to secure federal records. Continue lobbying efforts on legislation to: --Provide and expand title 38 bargaining rights; --Provide VA Canteen Service employees with Title 5 rights to appeal terminations. --Request for oversight of VA health care personnel issues, including recruitment and retention of VA physicians and registered nurses.

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

Bills named: H.R. 813 (113th), H.R. 2765 (113th), H.R. 1907 (113th)

District of Columbia DOC

FY 2014 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations - provisions on contracting out A-76. Budget Reconciliation with regard 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 publicworker jobs to private contractors.

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

Housing HOU

FY 2014 Financial Services Appropriations - provisions on contracting out, pay, benefits, staffing levels, and job security of HUD employees. Also proposed reorganization of its Office of Multifamily Housing.

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

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 caps.Worked with Del Norton to introduce a bill to repeal the impact of the Conyers decision on the due process rights of federal employees holding sensitive positions. S.1276 -- Security Clearance Oversight and Reform Enhancement Act (SCORE) providing oversight on use of funds OPM uses to fund security clearance background investigations and requirement that OPM fire any federal worker who engaged in misconduct while conducting background investigations with no appeal rights. S. 47 - Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 - provisions aimed to reduce funding levels and lessen protections for victims of domestic violence.

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

Bills named: S. 1276 (113th), S. 47 (113th)

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: U.S. Customs & Border Protection; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Army, Dept of (Other); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Defense Commissary Agency; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); U.S. Marines; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); SENATE; Air Force, Dept of; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Navy, Dept of

Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.) FOO

FY 2014 Agriculture Appropriations - provisions on contracting out of federal employee jobs and potential food and public safety risk. Funding cut of meat and poultry inspection program and recommendations to further expand that inspection program putting plant managers, not inspectors, in charge of quality control and contamination.Continued lobbying against proposed Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection--slaughter inspection rule. Additionally, lobbied against partially privatizing the inspection system; reducing the number of FSIS Inspectors from 4 to just 2 inspectors; and permitting faster line speeds than are allowed under the traditional inspection systems.

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

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

FY 2014 THUD Appropriations - lobbying on amendments in House and Senate to eliminate official time for employees in agencies covered by the bill (Transportation, HUD, Merchant Marine Academy, FAA, and NTSB). Other bills to eliminate official time for union representatives - S. 785, S. 1312, H.R. 107 and H.R. 568.S 815, the Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 2013 (ENDA), lobbied for extension of worker protections against discrimination to all workers. This would include hiring, firing, and other personnel actions based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age, and disability. This would also include sexual orientation or gender identity.

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

Bills named: S. 785 (113th), S. 1312 (113th), H.R. 107 (113th), H.R. 568 (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, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Transportation Security Administration.

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

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. Enabling Innovation for Science, Technology, and Energy in America Act, or EINSTEIN America Avt, lobbied against Section 111that required a study be conducted to determine how to convert the award-winning National Energy Technology Lab (NETL) from a government owned and operated facility (GO-GO) facility into a government owned, contractor-operated (GO-CO) outfit. HR 3080, Water Resources Development Act, lobbied against Young/Petri amendment that would prevent the Corps of Engineers (CoE) from using lower-cost, higher-performing alternatives to contractors for surveying and mapping functions.

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

Bills named: H.R. 3080 (113th)