Federal Employees

Government Executive A group of congressional Democrats on Tuesday asked a Justice Department watchdog to investigate allegations that the department improperly considered job candidates’ political views during the hiring process. In a letter to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, eight Democratic lawmakers highlighted whistleblower accounts… Read more »

“As President Trump’s first Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson was handed a difficult job which he performed poorly.  He presided over an unprecedented evisceration of the State Department, often seemed out of the loop, and was, at best, incidental to the formulation of U.S. foreign policy. The damage caused by Tillerson’s brief, tumultuous tenure will take years to repair, and he… Read more »

“My decision to vote against the budget caps bill early this morning was not an easy one. This bill contained many things that are very good for the country. These funding levels represent a major victory after five years of work to end budget sequestration. Our region’s economy stands to benefit substantially from ending this arbitrary and destructive policy, and I wish Republicans had… Read more »

Legislative language mirroring a bill offered by Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) to protect the pay of federal workers during the government shutdown was passed by Congress today as part of a larger temporary funding bill. The inclusion of text of the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act will guarantee that the entire federal workforce receives back pay for the time… Read more »

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), joined by 168 House colleagues, today sent a letter to President Trump expressing their support for keeping the federal government open while pressing for the inclusion of urgent bipartisan priorities in any funding resolution. “Mr. President, it is clear that your budget priorities and… Read more »

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) today introduced the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act, legislation to guarantee back pay to furloughed workers in the event of a government shutdown. Funding for the federal government expires at midnight tomorrow. “We are working hard to avoid a government shutdown, but if it comes our bill would protect federal workers from… Read more »

Rep. Don Beyer issued the following statement after casting his vote against the latest Republican continuing resolution: “House Republicans are now forcing us to take our fourth vote on a short-term funding resolution in as many months. This is appalling and absurd. Like my fellow House Democrats, I spent months imploring my Republican colleagues to take action on key priorities for… Read more »

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) today introduced bipartisan legislation to protect federal employees’ pay in the event of a government shutdown. The Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Act would guarantee back pay for all furloughed workers if Congress and the White House are unable to come to a funding agreement. “We absolutely do not want to see a shutdown of the federal… Read more »

Members of Congress from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia today excoriated a newly-filed amendment to the “Minibus” appropriations bills. The amendment would use the Holman Rule to target federal employees in the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which delivers projections on proposed legislation. In a joint statement, Don Beyer (D-VA), Democratic Whip Steny… Read more »

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today on the Trump budget: “While President Trump’s budget will not pass Congress, it is nonetheless a telling statement of Republican priorities:  cutting taxes for the wealthy while gutting innumerable programs and agencies that protect the most vulnerable. The Trump budget is rooted in fantasy.  It will not generate the… Read more »