Congress debates former presidents’ perks, including Secret Service protection, pension, office space
Updated Jan 15, 2021;
Posted Jan 15, 2021
In this April 18, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump, center, is surrounded by members of the Secret Service, as he walks across the tarmac to greet supporters during his arrival at Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Former presidents typically retain Secret Service protection after leaving office. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais)AP
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WASHINGTON The presidency comes with a lot of perks: a house, a private jet, a vacation spot next to Maryland’s world-famous Catoctin Mountain (elevation: 1,900 feet), butlers, chefs and, for a lucky few, a bottomless supply of loyalty in Congress.
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Security concerns in the run up to the inauguration have agencies taking special precautions.
Senior Correspondent
Federal agencies are taking drastic measures to keep employees safe with the looming threat of violence surrounding President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, including by hosting additional federal security personnel and even telling some workers to evacuate their homes.
Following the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week, federal offices in the Washington area and around the country are cautioning workers, many of whom are already working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to stay away, effective immediately. Prior to his resignation, then acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf moved the inauguration’s National Special Security Event designation timeline up from Jan. 19 to Jan. 13. This has led to widespread ro
By Natalie Alms
The west front of the U.S. Capitol, the traditional site of presidential inauguration ceremonies, on Jan. 6, 2021. (Photo credit: Alex Gakos/Shutterstock.com)
The Office of Personnel Management is urging federal employees to telework through next week, and asking agencies to use all available workplace flexibility options for employees who might otherwise come to work in Washington, D.C amid the potential security threats and road shutdowns in the nation s capital posed by the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Mike Rigas, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, encouraged agencies to use all available workplace flexibility options for employees who might otherwise still be coming in to work in the capital from Jan. 15 through Jan. 22. The memo from Rigas, dated Jan. 13, makes no mention of the riot and insurrection at the Capitol Building on Jan. 6.
Why Trump’s effort to transform the federal government (mostly) failed January 13 Most of the Trump administration s government reform initiatives fell dead on arrival, revealing the narrow path to successful federal change. (Thomas Bounias) President Donald Trump entered the presidency intending to set in motion sweeping governmental change under the promise to “drain the swamp” of Washington. In June 2018, his administration released a comprehensive plan to overhaul the way the federal government operates and innovates. But at the end of Trump’s term as president, few of those initiatives have seen little, if any, progress, and the incoming Biden administration looks poised to overturn many of the management reform efforts that were made.
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email Why Biden Should Expand OPM’s Role
Changes instituted by the Trump administration reflect an outdated and discredited “do as you’re told” approach to management.
Workforce Management Consultant
President-elect Biden brings a radical shift in the management philosophy that should guide workforce management now and into the future: “The federal government should serve as a role model for employers to treat their workers fairly.” He has stated, “Dedicated public servants are the lifeblood of democracy.”
His statements are important. Leadership is essential for an organization’s success. It builds employee commitment. Ideally the individuals appointed to key positions in the Biden administration will share the president’s philosophy.