A bipartisan short-term funding bill to keep the government open into March 2025 collapsed late on Wednesday, December 18, mere days before funding is set to expire. The current continuing resolution (CR) keeping the government operating runs out on December 20, 2024. 

FMA National President Craig Carter sent a letter to every member of Congress today on this vital issue, urging Congress to act immediately to prevent a shutdown.

If you spent a portion of your career working in the private sector, in addition to your federal service, you may be affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which reduces Social Security benefits you earned. And the Government Pension Offset (GPO) targets and reduces spousal and survival Social Security benefits – disproportionately affecting widows.

After decades of effort, the Senate is poised to vote on the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), which would repeal both the GPO and WEP. This has been an FMA issue brief for many years. FMA National President Craig Carter sent this letter urging all Senators to vote for the bill. FMA also joined the Federal-Postal Coalition on a joint letter earlier this week. You can view that letter here.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced an FMA-endorsed bill to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) will get a vote in the U.S. Senate in the 118th Congress. He addressed a rally on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, December 11. This is optimistic news for the bill, which passed the House of Representatives last month by a vote of 327-75. It needs Senate approval and President Biden's signature to be signed into law. FMA has fought on this issue for decades, and full repeal is closer than ever before. The Senate version of the repeal bill has more than 60 cosponsors, including Vice President-elect J.D. Vance (R-OH).

“I’m here to tell you that the Senate is going to take action on the Social Security Fairness Act,” Schumer said. “You’re going to find out which senators are with you, and which are against you. I’ve got all of my Democrats lined up to support it . . . and we need 15 Republicans, so let’s get them, and we’re going to have the vote. What’s happening to you is unfair, it’s un-American and I will fight it all the way.”

On Tuesday, November 12, the House of Representatives passed the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), FMA-endorsed legislation that would repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Representatives Garret Graves (R-LA) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), passed by a vote of 327-75.

FMA National President Craig Carter sent this letter urging all Members of Congress to vote for the bill.

Following passage, Carter applauded the House for their decisive vote on bringing fairness to millions of Social Security beneficiaries. "The resounding and momentous bipartisan vote on the House floor comes after decades of effort to repeal these odious provisions that callously reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for millions of public servants and their beneficiaries," Carter wrote. He thanked Reps. Graves and Spanberger for their unending effort to get this far.

If you spent a portion of your career working in the private sector, in addition to your federal service, you may be affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which reduces Social Security benefits you earned. And the Government Pension Offset (GPO) targets and reduces spousal and survival Social Security benefits – disproportionately affecting widows.

After decades of effort, the House of Representatives will finally vote on the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), which would repeal both the GPO and WEP. H.R. 82 will be considered on Tuesday, November 12. This has been an FMA issue brief for many years. FMA National President Craig Carter sent this letter urging all Members of Congress to vote for the bill.

FMA endorsed the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), which would repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). We also support the successful discharge petition that set the bill -- the second-most cosponsored bill in the 118th Congress for consideration on the floor of the House. We are disappointed by the cowardly subterfuge engineered to derail a vote on the House floor, and support options for the bill's consideration.

By CQ Roll Call Staff

Members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus orchestrated an unusual play on the House floor during a rare election night, 5 p.m. pro forma session that resulted in killing, at least for now, a broadly popular bill that was set to hit the floor as soon as next week.

Reps. Garret Graves, R-La., and Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., had successfully rounded up the 218 signatures needed for a discharge petition to bypass GOP leaders and bring up bipartisan legislation that would repeal two long-standing provisions docking Social Security benefits for certain retirees. They were set to make their move as soon as Tuesday night by triggering a two-day clock to bring to the floor the special rule for immediate consideration of the bill.

With 330 co-sponsors, including now-Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who was one of the first to affix his name early in the 118th Congress, passage of the measure was all but guaranteed. GOP leaders were mulling simply bringing it to the floor under suspension of the rules next week, which skips a rule vote but requires two-thirds of members present and voting to pass.

On September 25, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced the 2025 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program rates. The open season for health benefits, dental and vision insurance, and flexible spending accounts will be November 11 through December 9, 2024.

The average enrollee share increase for 2025 will be 13.5 percent. The last time the increase in the enrollee share was over 10 percent was in 2003 (11.6 percent). The overall average FEHB premium increase will be 11.2 percent. The new health premiums go into effect in January 2025.

As you may know, FEHB premiums are shared by you and your agency. You generally pay approximately 30 percent of the total cost, and your agency pays the remaining 70 percent. The full set of rate charts for 2025 is available here.

Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President Craig Carter wrote all members of both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate today, urging them to fund the federal government for Fiscal Year 2025, prevent a lapse in appropriations, and avert a government shutdown. 

"FMA members are dedicated patriots who tirelessly serve their communities, fulfilling congressionally-mandated missions and goals, while administering invaluable services to all Americans. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees – who are taxpayers like their fellow citizens – do not know if they will be told to stay home and not get paid for the foreseeable future. This has tangible, negative effects on the employees, their families, and every American who relies on the services they provide," Carter wrote.

FMA has endorsed the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), which would fully repeal both the GPO and WEP. We are working with Reps. Graves and Spanberger in their effort to expedite and advance the will of the House.

Erich Wagner, Government Executive -

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers on Tuesday filed a discharge petition seeking to force a vote on the House floor on a measure that would eliminate a pair of controversial tax rules that reduce the retirement benefits of some ex-government workers.

FMA has endorsed the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), which would fully repeal both the GPO and WEP. We are working with Reps. Graves and Spanberger in their effort to expedite and advance the will of the House. 

By Erich Wagner, Government Executive

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers announced Monday that they would act to force a vote on the House floor on a measure that would repeal a pair of controversial tax rules that negatively impact some federal employees’ retirement income.

The Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), introduced last year by Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Garrett Graves, R-La., would repeal Social Security’s windfall elimination provision and government pension offset.

To read the full article, click here.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously advanced the Chance to Compete Act (S. 59), commonsense bipartisan legislation endorsed by FMA that reduces unnecessary burdens to job hiring in the federal workforce. The measure passed by a vote of 11-0 and is cleared for consideration on the Senate floor. The House of Representatives passed similar legislation by a vote of 422-2 in January 2023.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced the bill, along with Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), James Lankford (R-OK) and Tom Carper (D-DE). To read Sen. Sinema's press release following the committee action, click here.

FMA and the Federal-Postal Coalition, which is comprised of 31 national organizations that collectively represent more than five million federal and postal workers and retirees across the country, wrote Members of the House to support the bipartisan Connolly-Fitzpatrick Amendment (#140) to H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

FEDweek -

The Federal Managers Association has named as its manager of the year Craig Carter of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, who recently was re-elected as FMA’s national president, as well.

Erich Wagner, Government Executive -

FMA National President Craig Carter stated: "The federal government cannot function effectively without this nonpolitical civil service capable of preserving institutional memory and competence across administrations.”

Unions and other organizations that represent federal employees quickly threw their support behind the Biden administration’s plan to shield the federal workforce from the potential revival of plans to strip thousands of civil servants of their due process protections.

On Friday, March 22, the House of Representatives passed the $1.2 trillion funding package for the Department of Defense, Treasury, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and other agencies for the balance of Fiscal Year 2024. The measure, supported by FMA, passed by a vote of 286-134. It now goes to the U.S. Senate for its consideration. If this measure is not adopted and signed into law, short-term funding for these agencies will lapse.

President Biden released his Fiscal Year 2025 budget request on Monday, March 11, calling for a 2 percent pay raise for the federal workforce. FMA National President Craig Carter issued a press release in response, urging the traditional pay parity with the uniformed military, supporting the President's Management Agenda, and more. Carter was cited in a Government Executive article by Managing Editor Carten Cordell.

 To read the full article, click here.

On Thursday, February 29, the House of Representatives approved a short-term spending bill that would extend Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations deadlines and stave off a partial government shutdown. The vote was 320-99 in favor of the bill. Funding for certain agencies, currently scheduled to expire tomorrow, would be extended to next week. The measure would extend funding for other agencies through March 22. The Senate is expected to move quickly on the bill.

FMA joined other member organizations of the Federal-Postal Coalition on a letter to all Members of Congress this week, urging swift action to prevent a devastating government shutdown. We will continue to urge legislators to fully fund Fiscal Year 2024.

On January 30, 2024, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced the FAIR Pay Act, legislation that would provide an average 7.4 percent pay raise for the federal workforce in 2025. Connolly and Schatz quoted FMA National President Craig Carter's support for the bill in their joint press release upon introduction. Additionally, Carter was quoted in Government Executive. FMA will advocate for this bill and push for the best possible boost to pay.

Yesterday, January 18, 2024, Congress approved another continuing resolution (CR) that averts a partial government shutdown and keeps federal agencies funded into March 2024. Funding for the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Energy, has been extended through March 1. Funding for all other agencies has been extended through March 8. The Senate approved the measure by a vote of 77-18 and the House followed with a vote of 314-108.

On December 21, 2023, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay, which implements an average 5.2 percent pay raise for 2024. The raise is comprised of a 4.7 percent across-the-board boost to basic pay and an average 0.5 percent boost to locality pay.

How one telework newcomer is managing his employees remotely during the pandemic

FEDweek

The Federal Managers Association is proud to announce the winners of the Association's highest honors and awards. On March 30, we recognized Ken Westlake of FMA Chapter 375 (Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago, Illinois) as FMA's 2019 Manager of the Year. Now, we present the winners of the Gil Guidry Award, the President's Award, the Odell Green Award, FMA's Super Recruiter, and the top regional recruiters of new members. We hope that shining a light on these deserving public servants and sharing a little bit of their stories will help boost everyone's morale in these trying times. FMA is certainly impressed with their accomplishments and thankful for your service to our country and the Association.

Whether permanent or as part of a contingency plan, teleworking requires a combination of culture changes and technology.

The Federal Managers Association (FMA) is hosting its annual national convention and management training seminar in Alexandria, Virginia, March 29 through April 1. The centerpiece of the event is the “Day on the Hill,” when FMA members will meet with members of Congress and their staffs to discuss issues important to their installation, their agency, and to FMA.

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Federal Managers Groups Largely Support Trump OPM Pick

By Erich Wagner, Government Executive

The Trump administration’s nomination of George Nesterczuk to serve as director of the Office of Personnel Management is already making waves among groups that represent federal workers.

While groups representing managers voiced varying levels of support for the announcement Wednesday, a union official was warier of the choice.