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

Housing HOU

FY 2015 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: Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); U.S. Marines; Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Army, Dept of (Other); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Defense Commissary Agency; Air Force, Dept of; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Navy, Dept of; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); SENATE; Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Interior, Dept of (DOI)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

FY 2015 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 2015 Budget Resolution - conference agreement providing for an increase for veterans health care 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 2015 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. Retention of longstanding prohibitions against the use of the OMB Circular A-76 process in the Coast Guard's National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) and on certain positions in the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) related to investigation and adjudication of immigration rights and benefits. FY 2015 Military Quality of Life/Veterans Affairs Appropriations - provisions to provide funding for VA health and benefits programs, and contracting out. FY 2015 Interior and Environmental Appropriations - provisions on contracting out of federal employee jobs. FY 2015 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 2015 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 2015 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 2015 Agriculture Appropriations - provisions on contracting out of federal employee jobs and funding cuts for the Food Safety and Inspection Service. FY 2015 Defense Appropriations - Floor amendments to arbitrarily downsize the civilian workforce. Lobbied against legislation introduced by Rep Calvert, the REDUCE Act, that would arbitrarily slash the size of DoD's civilian workforce. Since this legislation also imposed no cuts in service contract spending, contractor spending would increase in FY 2015.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." FY 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations -- proposed reorganization of HUD office or multifamily housing

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

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

Agriculture AGR

FY 2015 Agriculture Appropriations - provisions relating to the pay, benefits, staffing levels, and job security of USDA employees. Strongly lobbying to oppose FSIS proposed chicken slaughter plant rule, Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection (77 FR 4408, January 27, 2012).

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

Immigration IMM

FY 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations - provisions on the Border Patrol and INS, with particular attention to contracting out, pay, benefits, staffing levels, job security of DHS employees, and equal treatment of female TSOs.

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

Defense DEF

FY 2015 Defense Appropriations and Authorization - provisions on contracting out and downsizing 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.privatization studies. Lobbying to include more favorable language on direct conversions and contractor inventories and to lift the cap on civilian employees. FY 2015 Financial Services Appropriations bill - provisions regarding pay, benefits, and sourcing, and to retain government-wide prohibition against A-76. FY 2015 National Defense Authorization (NDAA).

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

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

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

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. Incorporate into S 1950 and S 1982. HR 1907 - the Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2013. HR 2785 - to extend veterans' preference rights to over 80,000 VA health care employees (both HR 2785 and S 1320). 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 (VBA) 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. --Expand veterans preference rights for Title 38 employees. --Mandate a new work credit system for VBA employees based on a data driven time motion study. --Issue a moratorium on VA spending on any downgrades of employees before a study can be done to determine the impact on protected EEO classes.

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

Bills named: H.R. 2785 (113th), H.R. 1907 (113th), H.R. 813 (113th)

Foreign Relations FOR

FY 2015 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: Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); U.S. Marines; Air Force, Dept of; Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Army, Dept of (Other); Interior, Dept of (DOI); SENATE; Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Defense Commissary Agency; Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Navy, Dept of; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

District of Columbia DOC

FY 2015 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: Interior, Dept of (DOI); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Army, Dept of (Other); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Air Force, Dept of; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Defense Commissary Agency; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); SENATE; U.S. Marines; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Navy, Dept of; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS)

Government Issues GOV

FY 2015 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.HR 3278 and S 1809, bills to overturn the Conyers decision on the due process of federal employees holding sensitive positions. Lobbied to gain cosponsors for both bills. 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. S 1486, Postal Reform Act of 2014, lobbied in support of Tester Amendment #2, to strike Title V of S 1486, the title relating to FECA; and Tester Amendment #3, to apply the Title V changes to FECA only to federal employees hired after the date of enactment of S 1486.

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

Bills named: H.R. 3278 (113th)

Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.) FOO

FY 2015 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: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Labor, Dept of (DOL); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Defense Commissary Agency; SENATE; Navy, Dept of; Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA); U.S. Marines; Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Air Force, Dept of; Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Army, Dept of (Other); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Defense, Dept of (DOD)

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

FY 2015 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: Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Army, Dept of (Other); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Air Force, Dept of; Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Defense Commissary Agency; SENATE; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA); U.S. Marines; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Navy, Dept of; Interior, Dept of (DOI); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS)

Bills named: S. 1312 (113th), H.R. 107 (113th), H.R. 568 (113th), S. 785 (113th)

Homeland Security HOM

FY 2015 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.HR 4026, Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers, a bill granting public safety officer status to Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) who die in the line of duty. Lobbied to gain Title 5 and MSPB rights for TSOs.

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

Bills named: H.R. 4026 (113th)

Natural Resources NAT

FY 2015 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 Act, 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); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS); Office of Personnel Management (OPM); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Defense, Dept of (DOD); SENATE; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); U.S. Marines; Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA); Navy, Dept of; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD); Defense Commissary Agency; Army, Dept of (Other); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Air Force, Dept of

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