Title: A resolution recognizing the contributions of Federal employees and pledging to oppose efforts to reduce Federal workforce pay and benefits, eliminate civil service employment protections, undermine collective bargaining, and increase the use of non-Federal contractors for inherently governmental activities.
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
Declares that the Senate will deny the passage of any legislation, and challenge any action of the executive branch, that:

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 51 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 51

  Recognizing the contributions of Federal employees and pledging to 
oppose efforts to reduce Federal workforce pay and benefits, eliminate 
civil service employment protections, undermine collective bargaining, 
    and increase the use of non-Federal contractors for inherently 
                        governmental activities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 6, 2017

  Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Brown, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. 
    Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Markey, Ms. Warren, Mr. Carper, Mr. 
    Franken, Mrs. Murray, and Ms. Cantwell) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the contributions of Federal employees and pledging to 
oppose efforts to reduce Federal workforce pay and benefits, eliminate 
civil service employment protections, undermine collective bargaining, 
    and increase the use of non-Federal contractors for inherently 
                        governmental activities.

Whereas Federal agencies are tasked with the fundamental responsibility of 
        serving to protect, promote, and preserve the rights and interests of 
        the people of the United States;
Whereas the activities of the Federal Government encompass a broad range of 
        activities, including--

    (1) conducting and supporting military operations;

    (2) protecting the homeland, including transportation, communications, 
financial, and other systems;

    (3) preserving and enhancing public health;

    (4) supporting the least fortunate;

    (5) defending the rights and interests of individuals and consumers;

    (6) enhancing and preserving the environment of the United States; and

    (7) promoting and facilitating commerce;

Whereas, to achieve these objectives, many Federal agencies conduct operations 
        24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year;
Whereas, according to the Office of Personnel Management, the Federal Government 
        directly employs approximately 2,100,000 individuals to carry out the 
        functions of the Federal Government;
Whereas, in the past 50 years, the population of the United States increased 
        from approximately 198,000,000 individuals to more than 321,400,000 
        individuals, while the Federal workforce actually decreased from 
        approximately 2,200,000 employees to approximately 2,100,000 employees;
Whereas the Federal Government functions most effectively, and the interest of 
        the public is served, when the Federal Government offers fair 
        compensation, including pay, health, retirement, and other benefits, to 
        attract and retain qualified, diverse, and dedicated Federal employees;
Whereas, to ensure the integrity of the Federal civil service, it is essential 
        that Federal employees have access to constitutionally protected due 
        process rights and the ability to bargain collectively;
Whereas full- or part-time Federal employees should primarily be responsible for 
        the activities and functions of the Federal Government;
Whereas the effective functioning of the Federal Government and the integrity of 
        the civil service have been undermined by efforts to decrease pay and 
        benefits and reduce rights with respect to due process and collective 
        bargaining;
Whereas, through these efforts, Federal employees have already contributed more 
        than $180,000,000,000 to the reduction of the Federal deficit, primarily 
        in the form of higher retirement contributions and foregone wages;
Whereas reductions to pay and benefits, the removal of collective bargaining 
        rights, and the elimination or degradation of civil service due process 
        rights would make it harder for the Federal Government to attract the 
        best and brightest to public service;
Whereas reinstatement of the ``Holman Rule'' by the House of Representatives as 
        part of the resolution entitled ``Resolution adopting rules for the One 
        Hundred Fifteenth Congress'', approved January 3, 2017, presents a 
        direct threat to the employment and compensation of Federal employees, 
        will not result in substantial savings to the Federal Government, and 
        serves primarily to undermine the morale of the Federal workforce;
Whereas the Federal hiring freeze ordered by the President on January 23, 2017, 
        will impact the ability of the Federal Government to provide services 
        across the United States, including the ability to process the payment 
        of Social Security and other benefits and conduct workplace, food, and 
        product safety inspections; and
Whereas it is in the interest of Congress and the United States for the Federal 
        Government to be able to attract a diverse, dynamic, and dedicated 
        workforce in order to serve the people of the United States: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate will deny the passage of any legislation, 
and challenge any action of the executive branch, that--
            (1) erodes fair compensation for Federal employees, 
        including by reducing wages, unjustifiably raising health 
        insurance premiums, and unnecessarily or irresponsibly reducing 
        the overall Federal workforce, such as an appropriations bill 
        passed by the House of Representatives that contains a 
        provision adopted by the House of Representatives under section 
        3(a) of the resolution entitled ``Resolution adopting rules for 
        the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress'', approved January 3, 2017;
            (2) undermines the value of employee retirement programs, 
        including by reducing earnings on retirement savings, unjustly 
        increasing employee contribution levels, or seeking to 
        transition fully to a private-sector styled plan consisting 
        solely of cash or deferred arrangements described in section 
        401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
            (3) diminishes the ability of Federal employee unions to 
        effectively represent and protect the rights of employees;
            (4) reduces fundamental protections for civil servants, 
        including the right to due process; or
            (5) increases the use of nongovernmental contractors to 
        perform inherently governmental functions.
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