On February 23, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) introduced the Merit Systems Protection Board Empowerment Act of 2021 (H.R. 1224). The bill reauthorizes the MSPB through 2026. FMA supports this bill, which would also require whistleblower training and allows MSPB to conduct surveys of federal employees to improve operations of the board.

FMA is keenly aware of the need to restore a strong MSPB, which is the primary forum available to federal employees to enforce their workplace rights. As we noted in last month’s Washington Report, MSPB has lacked a quorum for four years – since January 2017 – and has not had any Senate-confirmed members since March 2019. In that time, more than 3,000 federal workers have been deprived of an opportunity for justice and an adjudicative hearing before the body, leaving both them and their former agencies in limbo. FMA has been vocal on this issue for years, and again included it as an issue brief in 2021.

On January 25, FMA, along with the four other members of the Government Managers Coalition (GMC), sent a letter to urge President Biden to act with all expediency possible to restore a quorum to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). The letter recommended four individuals for the Biden administration’s consideration for nomination to the MSPB. 

FMA will continue to work to restore the MSPB as expediently as possible and to support the MSPB Empowerment Act. H.R. 1224 has six cosponsors and was referred to the House Oversight and Reform Committee. To track its progress, please click here.