Federal Managers Association

In the News

• FMA PRESIDENT NIEHAUS URGES CONGRESS TO REMOVE PROVISIONS EXTENDING PAY FREEZE FOR CIVILIAN DOD AND VA EMPLOYEES - May 31, 2012

• Congress includes language in FY2013 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill.

  During consideration of the fiscal year 2013 Military and Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill on the House floor, Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President Patricia Niehaus wrote each Member of the House of Representatives calling for the removal of language extending the pay freeze for civilian DOD and VA employees for another year. Niehaus wrote, “We can all agree that the country is struggling through a difficult economy marked by a rising deficit and high unemployment. Federal managers understand the demands placed on our government and the current state of our fiscal crisis, and we accepted the two-year pay freeze as a shared sacrifice in the collective effort to reduce national spending, which produced $60 billion in savings over ten years. But extending the pay freeze for another year is excessive, unreasonable and ill-advised.”

  The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill funds the infrastructure, programs and services that are essential for the nation’s warfighters, veterans and military families. The underlying bill is significant and a “must-pass” piece of legislation. Because of this, the bill passed by a vote of 407-12. It is unfortunate that an unfair extension of the pay freeze was included in this otherwise-strong bill.

  To read the full letter, please visit the Members Only section of the FMA website.

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