Providing For Consideration Of Conference Report On H.R. 2647, National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2010

Floor Speech

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I thank the gentlelady for her courtesy and the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule for H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.

In addition to the bill's robust support of our national defense and national security programs, H.R. 2647 includes several key Federal employee initiatives which will come under my jurisdiction as the chairman of the Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and District of Columbia Subcommittee. I am pleased to report that the bill significantly enhances the Federal Government's recruitment and retention capabilities, as well as further bolstering agency management and worker productivity.

The underlying bill will now allow the Federal Employees Retirement System to provide employees with retirement credit for unused sick time. Under the current system, we have half of our employees that are allowed to get credit for unused sick time, and the others are encouraged to use their sick time whether they need it or not.

Under this new bill, Federal workers, managers, and agencies will have the flexibility they have long called for. This is a great change in our personnel management system.

Additionally, this legislation fixes a civil service retirement annuity calculation problem for those employees who wish to phase down to part-time at the end of their working careers. Under the existing system, senior employees--many times our most valuable senior employees--are forced to simply retire and not work part-time at the end of their career in order to train their successors, because the calculation would hurt their pension if they work part-time at the end of their career. This change will obviously correct that inequity.

The Office of Personnel Management supports that as a way to retain the skill-set and knowledge of employees who are nearing the end of their careers and who want to work part time to help train future agency leaders.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I will yield 1 minute to the gentleman.

Mr. LYNCH. Also included is a provision that allows D.C. court employees to be compensated for lost retirement credits when those workers were involuntarily transferred to Federal service.

H.R. 2647 will also terminate DOD's disastrous so-called pay-for-performance personnel system.

I would like to extend my gratitude to Ike Skelton, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and Buck McKeon, the ranking member, as well as Members Jim Moran from Virginia, Mr. Connolly from Virginia, Mr. Van Hollen from Maryland, and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton from the District of Columbia, and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer for their efforts on behalf of the Federal workforce.

Mr. Speaker, I conclude my remarks by thanking Chairwoman Slaughter for the time and restating my support for the rule.

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