Steny Hoyer

Federal employee unions, democrats refocus their attention on getting the Senate to agree on provisions in FY 2020 bills to block rollbacks on collective bargaining, official time for feds.

A 3.1% federal pay raise is another step closer to reality, as the House passed the financial services and general appropriations bill with a 224-196 vote Wednesday afternoon. The bill would also throw up several roadblocks to the Trump administration’s proposed merger of the Office of Personnel Management with the General Services Administration.

House Democrats joined members of the American Federation of Government Employees on Tuesday to rally against the Trump administration’s proposed merger of the Office of Personnel Management with the General Services Administration. Congress on Tuesday also began debate over an appropriations bill that would block the OPM-GSA merger.

Employees at the Office of Personnel Management may face administrative furloughs if Congress doesn’t advance the Trump administration’s proposal to merge the agency with the General Services Administration, or if lawmakers can’t pass permanent 2020 funding by the end of the fiscal year.

A new House budget proposal is silent on federal retirement cuts. Instead, it focuses on securing a two-year spending deal that breaks free of the Budget Control Act caps.

Until the Trump administration provides more details about its plans to reorganize the Office of Personnel Management, Democrats on the House Oversight and Reform Committee are urging appropriators to prohibit funds for the proposed merger.

House Democrats have again reintroduced legislation that would guarantee paid family leave for federal employees to care for a new child or sick family member. This time, the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act would guarantee up to 12 weeks of time.

In today’s Federal Newscast, several DC area members of Congress want to know if it’s realistic for federal employees to expect more money in their next paycheck on March 15.

At least five bills have been reintroduced in the 116th Congress by incumbent lawmakers. And as the fog of last month’s partial government shutdown clears, it’s possible more bills have or will resurface.

The House is set to clear a 2.6 percent federal pay raise for civilian employees this year. The Senate already has a companion of the Federal Civilian Workforce Pay Fairness Act.