On October 31st, 2019, the Senate passed its first appropriations package, but a final agreement on government funding remains elusive. The current Continuing Resolution is set to expire on November 21st. NTEU is actively working with members of Congress and urging them to properly fund federal agencies, provide employees with a fair pay raise, protect their collective bargaining rights, and avoid another disastrous shutdown.
Read MoreGovernment Funding Update
Both chambers will be in recess next week with legislators in their states and districts for the Thanksgiving holiday. When Congress returns the week of November 26th, there will be two weeks remaining before the current Continuing Resolution (CR)--for agencies that did not receive full-year Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 funding--expires midnight on December 7th between Friday and Saturday…..
Read MoreSenators Challenge Administration on Failure to Follow Court Order
A few weeks back, NTEU and other federal labor unions won an historic victory and injunction against the anti-employee executive orders (EOs) issued by President Trump. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson enjoined “the President’s subordinates from implementing or giving effect to” the overturned portions of the EOs. Agencies, however, have continued to give force and effect to struck-down provisions of these EOs at the bargaining table and in other fora.
On Thursday, sixteen Senators….
Read MorePay Raise Clears Senate Appropriations Committee
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a funding bill that would provide federal workers with an average pay increase of 1.9 percent in 2019. While inflation has been at 2.8% for the 12 months preceding June 2018, 1.9% is better than the cuts proposed by the administration.
“When the administration says federal employees don’t deserve fair pay….
Read MoreShutdown Averted: Congress Passes Spending Bill
From NTEU National.....
“The Senate today followed the House in approving a [spending package] to fund the federal government though the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. The president is expected to sign the measure before funding expires Friday night. Passage of this bipartisan spending bill eliminates the threat of another government shutdown for the next five months.
While NTEU is pleased that the $18 billion in cuts originally proposed were not part of the final agreement, many federal agencies remain underfunded and understaffed after several years of cuts and inadequate funding.
As the debate shifts to the fiscal 2018 congressional budget, NTEU is pressing for adequate and stable funding for the federal government so that agencies have the resources they need and federal employees are not left anxious with another shutdown countdown.”
In the passed spending bill, the Environmental Protection Agency received an $81.4 million decrease from fiscal year 2016 (FY16). EPA was operating on a continuing resolution, allowing it to spend at FY16 levels. The $81.4 million budget cut amounts to approximately a 1% spending reduction.
Legislative Information & Action Center
Chapter 280 just added a direct link to NTEU's legislative information and action page on its website. Now you can learn about NTEU's legislative priorities, sign up to receive legislative updates, discover your members of congress using your zip code, and take action on legislation that concerns you. Simply visit action.nteu.org for all this and more.
Current topics on which you can take action include.....
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