BILLS HOLDING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE FOR MISCONDUCT INTRODUCED

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by: Lloyd Smucker (R-PA, 16th)

Washington, D.C. - April 18, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- This week, U.S. Reps. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) and Francis Rooney (R-Fla.) introduced legislation to hold federal agency employees accountable for misconduct.

The two introduced the Department of Labor Accountability Act and the Department of Education Whistleblower Protection Act, which give the two departments more authority to discipline or fire employees who have engaged in misconduct and would shorten the appeals process which often lasts several years. The bills also grant the department Secretary the authority to revoke bonuses for underperforming employees and in some cases would reduce the pensions of executive-level employees disciplined by the department.

“Employees deserve proper protections and the freedom to report misconduct – and employees at fault shouldn’t be receiving bonuses after behaving badly,” Smucker said. “This bill is a step to end the bureaucratic status quo resisting reforms and rewarding bad actors for their poor behaviors.”

“We must make sure that federal agencies have the tools to hold their employees accountable in order to safeguard taxpayer dollars against waste and fraud,” Rooney said. “This legislation provides these tools by allowing the Secretaries of Education and Labor to dismiss or discipline bad employees based on performance or misconduct. Our agencies must be able to address the bad actors that are not working in the best interest of the American people.”

Accountability is a priority of President Donald Trump, who has publicly voiced his support for promoting accountability within federal agencies.

Smucker and Rooney previously introduced these bills in the 115th Congress, when the House passed the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act by a bipartisan vote of 368-55. Another bill, the Department of Homeland Security FIRM Act, was included in the DHS reauthorization bill signed into law last year.

Norton Gets Promise from Treasury Inspector General Concerning Investigation into Threats to IRS Employees

Source: Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.)




Washington, D.C. - October 30, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) at an Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing asked Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russel George about press reports on an increase in threats to Internal Revenue Services (IRS) employees and “potential vulnerabilities outside agency headquarters.” NBC4 reported that “federal investigators have launched 1,556 investigations into possible threats against agency employees from taxpayers since the beginning of the year.” George said his office was currently working with the IRS’ security division to investigate such threats and potential security vulnerabilities and offered to brief Norton and the Committee on his findings at the conclusion of the investigation. Norton pressed George that, in addition to a congressional briefing, a report of findings, recommendations or remedies would be important to reassure employees and the public. George responded that he thought a report with necessary redactions might be appropriate.

“I appreciate that the Inspector General has taken the increase in threats to IRS employees seriously and is pursuing an investigation,” Norton said. “I will be working with his office to ensure he has the necessary resources to investigate threats against IRS employees and any potential security vulnerabilities. Our federal employees deserve a safe working environment.”

Amendment to the Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 Protecting Whistleblowers Fails to Pass House

Washington, D.C. - October 17, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Tom O’Halleran introduced an amendment to the Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 to provide greater whistleblower protections to federal employees who disclose information on the improper use of aircrafts by government officials.

In a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Congressman Tom O’Halleran said, “I am proud that we are coming together to increase protections for whistleblowers at federal agencies, a long overdue effort. But, in light of recent reports and events that have revealed a disturbing pattern of improper use of tax dollars on air travel by senior federal officials, I believe we must go further.

“My amendment simply extends whistleblower protections that are created under the bill to federal employees who disclose information about travel, including improper use of aircraft,” continued O’Halleran. “Not only would this make it clear to agencies that any violation of laws, rules, or regulations concerning travel or government aircraft is unacceptable – it will also ensure those who come forward to expose any wrongdoing will have appropriate protection from retaliation.”

The amendment failed to pass the House of Representatives on a 190 to 232 vote.

Earlier this month, Rep. O’Halleran introduced the Taxpayers Don’t Incur Meaningless Expenses (Taxpayers DIME) Act. This bill would prevent government officials from using taxpayer money on private air travel that violates current rules. Additionally, the bill increases transparency and oversight of government travel and calls for the independent Office of Government Ethics (OGE) to report on ways to strengthen existing rules.

House Passes Fleischmann’s Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2017

Source: Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN, 3rd)

Washington, D.C. - October 15, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) introduced the bipartisan Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act (H.R. 378). The bill, co-sponsored by fellow Tennessee Congressman Jim Cooper (TN-05), will enhance the existing program for federal employees who identify frivolous spending of taxpayer dollars by doubling the previous maximum bonus.

“Good deeds deserve to be rewarded, and that is the purpose of my bill. Federal agencies exhibit a common trend of wasteful spending as the end of a fiscal year approaches. This bill is designed to stop this trend and benefit deserving employees. This legislation is structured after the private sector model where employees receive a reward for identifying unnecessary spending, therefore saving the organization, and in this case the federal government, money.”

“Most importantly, my bill gives people the power to act as administrative agents of their own taxpayer dollars,” said Fleischmann. “This ensures taxpayer dollars are spent wisely while simultaneously motivating employee attention toward spending abuse and fraud.”

“I hate government waste, and all it takes is commonsense ideas like this to help root it out,” Rep. Cooper said. “I have always believed in pay for performance. If federal employees step up and help us save money, why not reward them for their good work?”

H.R. 378 passed the House with a voice vote.