Federal Managers Association

Press Release

• FMA SPEAKS OUT AGAINST THE DISTRUST OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT- August 5, 2013

• FMA Disappointed House Passed Legislation Undermining the Federal Workforce and Instilling a Sense of Distrust Within the Government

  Alexandria, VA - The Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President, Patricia Niehaus, released the following statement in response to the U.S. House of Representatives passing the Stop Government Abuse Act, H.R. 2879, which allows for any official interaction with an employee of the federal government to be recorded and severely caps monetary rewards for federal workers when they go above and beyond their duties to serve the American public.
  
  
  "By a vote of 239-176, the House of Representatives passed the Stop Government Abuse Act, H.R. 2879. FMA believes transparency and accountability are necessary, however, H.R. 2879 creates  an environment of distrust and vilifies hard working men and women. By capping award bonuses at five percent, Congress eliminates incentives and creates morale problems in the already suffering public sector.
  
  
  "Additionally, H.R. 2879 allows for the recording of either in-person or telephone interactions with federal employees with the public, without the consent of the employee. The bill makes no exemptions, including law enforcement-related investigations. All this provision does is create suspicion of hard working patriots, who despite a three-year pay freeze and seemingly constant vitriol, serve their country and community on a daily basis." 

   

  H.R. 2879 originally was separate bills, H.R. 2711 and H.R. 1541. These bills were scheduled to pass by a simple voice vote that required a two-thirds majority. FMA, the Federal-Postal Coalition, and other federal workforce organizations worked tirelessly to ensure attention was brought to these toxic pieces of legislation. The letters from FMA and the Federal-Postal Coalition on H.R. 2711 and H.R. 1541 can be found here and here. FMA's letter on H.R. 2879 can be found here.

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