Federal Managers Association

Press Release

• FMA RELIEVED BY PASSAGE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING OMNIBUS - December 22, 2020
• Alexandria, VA – On December 21, Congress passed a $1.4 trillion omnibus bill to fund the government through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2021. President Trump is expected to sign the spending package into law. Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President Craig Carter made the following statement in response to its passage:
  
  
  "FMA is relieved Congress was able to come to an agreement to fund the government, ensuring that it can plan for a future beyond the next short-term Continuing Resolution (CR). While significant damage has already been done to the ability of the federal government and the military to begin new projects or extend existing ones for this year, and the 82 days lost to CR’s thus far can never be regained, we are pleased that the federal government and military can now plan for the current fiscal year.
  
  
  “FMA recognizes that a shutdown and crippling furloughs have been averted during the holiday season. Thankfully, federal workers will continue to be paid for their hard work in service to the American people. Americans deserve a functioning government capable of operating at peak capacity, much as the American military must be able to plan more than two weeks in advance.
  
  
  “Further, FMA reminds Congress that delaying appropriations and flirting with government shutdowns results in egregious costs and waste, even if a shutdown is averted. It takes significant time and resources for agencies to prepare for a potential shutdown when they should be fulfilling agency missions. Efficient government requires the ability to plan for the future and function without unnecessary interruption. FMA implores the next Congress to bring an end to the current pattern of costly and unnecessary CR’s and destructive government shutdowns.
  
  
  “We appreciate the inclusion of language to give federal employees and military members all of 2021, instead of four months, to repay the payroll tax deferral they had no choice to opt out of. However, it is regrettable that Congress did not include the well-deserved 3.0 percent raise for the federal workforce, which it has given to the uniformed military. The tradition of pay parity between civilian federal employees and the uniformed military is an important one, and FMA is disappointed that this longstanding norm has been trampled. This year has been a hard one for federal workers who have nonetheless stepped up to the challenge in order to serve the American people during this difficult time. It has also been a shining moment in the history of the civil service, as feds stayed on the job to ensure critical services continued to make their way to all Americans at a time of greater need than any in the last many decades. FMA will continue to work to ensure that the steadfast dedication of federal employees will be rewarded with a fair raise in the next Congress.”
  
  
  “Finally, we are disappointed and concerned the final package takes no steps to block implementation of the Executive Order creating Schedule F. FMA will work with the incoming administration to rescind this irresponsible and misguided EO that would politicize large portions of the federal government.” 

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