On March 22, 2024, the House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill providing funding for the remainder of Fiscal year 2024 for the Departments of Defense, Treasury, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The measure passed by a vote of 286-134. The Senate followed suit on March 23, by a vote of 74-24, and President Biden signed the bill the same day, averting a partial government shutdown for these departments.

The funding bill includes a requirement for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to provide agencies’ return-to-office action plans, which include federal telework and in-office requirements, to Congress. It further requires agencies to provide data on the average number and percentage of employees working in the office during a regular two-week pay period, as well as how employee productivity is tracked. FMA supports the effort to gain more information about the usage of telework in order to make data-driven decisions.

This followed the work on March 6, 2024, when Congress approved a package funding the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the departments of Agriculture, Justice, Commerce, Energy, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans Affairs, and other smaller agencies, for the balance of the year.

While FMA was relieved that a shutdown was prevented, we continue to underscore our concerns about Congress failing to fund agencies on time, the over-reliance on continuing resolutions, and the constant threats of government shutdowns. This is not an effective way to run the federal government and must be addressed as Congress works on Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations. FY25 will begin on October 1, 2024.