Federal Managers Association

Press Release

• FMA COMMENDS HOUSE EFFORT TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT - JANUARY 10, 2019
• Alexandria, VA - On Wednesday, January 9, the House of Representatives passed the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act (H.R. 264), which would fund the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2019. The bill also includes a 1.9 percent pay raise for all federal employees in 2019. Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President Renee Johnson made the following comments on the passage of the legislation:
   
  "While we continue to urge Congress and the administration to provide funding to reopen all of the agencies and departments whose funding has lapsed, we strongly support this legislation providing funding for the Treasury Department, including the IRS. FMA has many dedicated IRS members who want and need to do their jobs to provide services for the American people.
   
  "Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said that IRS employees 'don't have anything to do with border security.' It is absolutely true that these federal employees are innocent bystanders, furloughed and thrust into financial hardship outside of their control as a result of the shutdown. And while most IRS employees may not directly impact national security, IRS offices do perform critical work to reduce and eradicate the financing of terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and money laundering. These efforts are negatively impacted by the shutdown - and the continuing resolutions prior to the lapse in funding. We need to get all federal employees back to work and paid. We agree with Senator Murkowski that Congress and the administration must ensure the work of the federal government continues while the country debates the best way to protect our borders.
      
  "Similar to the more comprehensive funding measures the House passed last week, we applaud the inclusion of the 1.9 percent pay raise in this bill for federal employees in 2019. FMA fully supports the 2.6 percent pay raise the uniformed military will receive this year, and argues the 1.9 percent increase for the civilian federal workforce is necessary."

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