Noon eastern. Oklahoma senator James Langford chairs this twohour hearing. Good morning and welcome. Sub Committee Hearing entitling the work force and the Sub Committee will work to find solutions to the recognized challenges from effectively serving the american people. Federal agencies employ some of the best and brightest individuals this country has to offer. Every day federal Civil Servants help protect our communities and keep our airports running safely and smoothly and military running extremely effectively. We are grateful and interested in their ideas and concerns. The important work of our federal employees is often obje obstructed by a culture. A culture does not differentiate between those who excel. They often complain harm workplace moral and raise concerns that compensation is not related to ones job performance. The office of federal Employee Viewpoint survey found 22 of employees agreed with this statement. Pay raises depend on how well employees perform their jobs. While the government failed to compensate basd on employment managers face additional challenges. Federal managers are frus ratd by time consuming hiring process, something this committee talked about often. It took an average of 100 days to fill an open position in the federal government. In 2015 it took 90 days. The problem is getting worse. Many cannot wait over three months to start work. Managers need employees to start work promptly to achieve their agencys mission and managers need to make sure we are hiring the right people in the right spot. When there is an ongoing structural problem it is our responsibility and duty to address it. Civil Service Structure created in the 1950s. The last Time Congress accomplished wide reform was in the Civil Service reform act of 1978. No successful business operates an Employment Model for the 1950s. The president can implement to improve the functioning of the entire federal work force. On january 23rd, 2017 the president department of agencies establishing a hiring freeze until the incoming director of office of management and budget to reduce the work force through attrition. President trumps hiring freeze is a similar memoranda issued by past president s. President carter and reagan issued broad hiring for executive agencies. Attrition through hiring freeze may not be the optimal solution. But in the absence of any notable legislative reform the administration has every right to alter the status quo through executive action. Congress can either watch as the administration deals through executive actions or find consensus and work with administration, take up the mantle of legislative reform. We plan to have discuss a broad number of topics including discipline and separation and will have a variety of viewpoints. We look to tackle some of these cham lengs. It is extremely important the hear from Senior Executives who confront these issues on a daily basis. Our Witnesses Today will be able to provide unique perspectives we may see some of the same challenges. I hope my colleagues will join me in this pursuit. This is not a partisan issue. It is a nonpartisan issue. I look forward to discussing a and will introduce all of them after our Ranking Member has her opens remarking. Thank you. While the Public Sector cannot do its job when the Public Sector cannot do its job the private sector has a more difficult time ding its job. From making sure the food we eat is safe to taxpayer inquiries to ensuring our veterans are cared for to protecting our nation from harm flederal employees wok to make my state and the country better. I want to tell a quick story. During the huge boom of Oil Development in north dakota we had a difficult time recruiting federal workers, engineers into the agencies that helped provide permitting. It was so bad in fact that the industry offered up resources to hire and to expand the pay of the current federal employees. I think it was eye opening for many of us who for years might say that the federal employees are a drag on the economy to realize that the oil industry in my state could not function without a fully staffed federal b. O. M. So with the shrinking of the work force are not the making it more effective. These will come at the expense of talent, moral and mission of our work force, none of which we can afford to lose. Im looking to ward to more efficiently as well as to make them more efficient as well as how we can improve supervisor training. I will be doing all that i can to protect federal workers and i think its important that we are in continued communication with the administration regarding how they plan to implement initiatives going forward. We have been at this table before, the two of us talking about the ageing of the federal work force, about recruiting the best and brightest americans to a job and career in Public Service. We have been talking about what managers tools we need. These are all great challenges in moving our country forward and making our country responsive. We cant take a step back ward. So mr. Chairman, im grateful for our attention in this congress to the federal work force. I hope that well be able to see invasions that will lead to Better Outcomes for Public Employees, for public managers and as a result Better Outcomes for the people of our country. Thank you. Thank you. Let me proceed with testimony from our witnesses and swearing in our witnesses. Let me introduce all four of them first. Renee is an organization she served since 2009. She currently is the u. S. Navy Customer Engagement branch head east in cherry point, north carolina. Bill is Senior Executive association. He is former cochair of science policy from 2005 to 2014. He retired from federal service as a career Senior Executive in 2014 after 20 years of service. Robert is the chief of staff for manpower, services for the u. S. Air force prior to his 18 year of civilian service. He served for 28 years. He retired from federal service in october of 2016. David cox has been here before. We appreciate you coming back again. He is the National President of the American Government of employees. He worked from 1983 to 2006 when he became secretary treasurer. All four of you we appreciate you very much being here. We appreciate all of your written testimony you have already submitted. It is very thorough and excelle excellent. It will go into the permanent record. It is custom that we swear in all witnesses. Please stand, raise your right hand. Do you weer the testimony youre about to give will be the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god . Yes. Thank you. Let the record reflect all of the witnesses answered in the affirmative. There will be a five minute countdown for your time. Mrs. Johnson, we would be glad to be able to receive your testimony. Thank you. I appreciate you allowing me before you today. Im currently employed as Customer Engagement branch head. Im here adds the National President of fma on my own time representing my active and retired members. I do not speak on behalf of the navy. So we are honored to appear today to discuss ways to empower managers as we seek a more efficient and federal government. I addressed a number of issued related to recruitment, hiring, termination and other topics. As National President i hear how proud our members are to serve our nation. I am pleased to note fma has chapters in Tinker Air Force base and in oklahoma providing resources for national security. We also have members ensuring americans receive their Social Security checks, collecting taxes to Fund Public Safety measures and protecting the nations food supply. The most redent Defense Authorization bills lends support for direct hiring authority. Fma sees this as a potential avenue to allow managers to expedite the process. It is also competing for new wage great hires. The federal government makes significant investments and often they lead before they finish a year of service. Managers should have options to adjust hiring packages to reflect the unique circumstances in their areas. While fma is opposed to the current hiring freeze we are more concerned with the potential proposals for hiring in the long term specifically blind attrition policies. All federal agencies should be allowed to match hiring actions that are aligned with missions and funding. Regarding Performance Management fma supports a system that provides incentives such as pay for performance. Departments and agencies must have maximum flexibility to attract the best and brightest work force to answer the call of Public Service. Managers must be able to address both misconduct and poor performance. Many managers feel it is easier to keep performers rather than take steps to document and convince agency of removal. All employees including managers should be held accountable for executing duties and responsibiliti responsibilities. They need access to Fund Training program. Fma calls for the reintroduction that require ace genergencies w interactive instructor base training ranging from mentor ship, Career Development and accurate performance appraisaap. They are intended to be an extension of the hiring process. It is a time to evaluate the not just for the service in general in the 2015 the probation nar period for all employees for the department of defense to two years. It would benefit the government and employees by allowing supervisors based on employees performance. I commend the Sub Committee for holding this hearing early to discuss how to best equip those of us charged with managing the federal work force and to ensure we are equipped to meet the agencys goals. Thank you for affording the opportunity to express our organizations views. Im eager to answer any questions you may have. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before the Sub Committee today. The Senior Executives association and our members are eager to work with you and the new administration to present common sense solutions. The 7,200 career Senior Executives play a vital role when eveimplementing positive change and knowledge will be critical as we develop the common sense solutions. It discuss sz many possible solutions. Im ready to answer any questions you might have. I would like to focus my remarks on several broad issues that will help inform that discussion, namely the answer to three questions. First, are federal leaders currently empowered to effectively manage the federal work force . Second, what are the constraints on empowerment and what are the most impactful . The answer to the first question sadly is no. There are two group causes for this lack of empowerment. First, the complexity of Work Force Management processes and rules makes it extremely difficult for leaders to be sufficiently empowered navigating rules and regulations while focusing on the primary objective of a federal leader fulfilling the mission is a task for the most adapt federal leader. Second, federal leaders lack the tools they require to manage work force when achieving missions. Corporate america realizes it needs to know the composition of its work force, the best places to hire talent and to incentivize work forces. In the federal government the tools that would enable federal leaders to do the same are not availab available. This leads to the discussion on constraints on empowerment. I would put them into three baskets. The first is complexity of federal Work Force Management. The second basket has many routs of appeal. Avenues of appeal at their dispos disposal. It occurs whether we were talking about a gs 2. The third is absence of a functioning risk reward frame work. Raises an bonuses are tied to tenure and performance. It rewards average awards. Please help us with rules and regulations. It is in the written testimony. Second, lets figure out a way to simplify employee appeals of adverse personnel action. We are fully supportive of eeo, whils blower and union grieve advance processes and believe they have their appropriate place in the federal work force. A separate process must be developed. Finally, we desperately need a new risk reward frame work particularly tied to annual performance reviews. Not everyone deserves to be promoted or get a bonus. It should be earned and recognized. I would like to conclude by thanking the Sub Committee for holding todays hearing. Senior executive association are thankful for your thought leadership. Every day as you noted, mr. Chairman, millions of federal employees are doing Amazing Things on behalf of the american taxpayer, managing public lands, protecting the environment and helping to build an Invasion Committee to na economy to name just a few. You should take satisfaction knowing it will help all federal employees and leaders accomplish their Vital Missions more effectively. Thank you, chairman for the opportunity to share my experiences of over 46 years in the air force in my military capacity. To assist the committee in finding ways to improve the management of federal work force. It had the distinct honor of some of the most professional dedica dedicated providing necessary continuity during periods of high leadership turnover and we hold them in high regard. My comments, oral and written will literally address most aspects of managing the civilian work force. I would need first to say that the civilian system needs major rework. It has evolved over many years but has not changed since its inception. What has changed is a dynamic budget environment, a work force held in disregard and pressures to reduce the work force without knowing the true work requirements. Managers are consumes with dealing with a 90yearold pay system that rewards longevity. Archaic hiring processes that dont allow agencies to compete with the private sector. A lack of ability and grievance and complaint processes that drag on for years. On any given day we have approximately 2. 1 million on board which equates to approximately 210 billion per year using average of 100,000 per person. For the most parent there is a foundation to support the federal employees to which credit the they have manpower professionals to determine it is to defend manpower. Most agency heads are blind to their true manpower requirements and most have no centralized accounting for their manpower and skill levels at every level in their organizations. Fiscal pressures demand that agencies need to justify the size of their work force. This will require congress to insist that work force levels are requirements based, that agency heads can and that authoritative documents support those levels. Congress must also help with timely budgets and consider giving a planning target for personnel levels for an additional two years for to allow them to make more informed decisions. For over 90 years we have had the general schedule pay system, locality pay, special pay authorities, expanding the work forces and longevity not performance based increases all make a compelling case to eliminate the general schedule pay system. The time is now to export the less sons learned from pay demonstration projects and to move forward with pay for performance system. There is no requirements except to have strategic plans to guide current. Managers are hired in a hiring process that limits the ability there are limited tools and hiring authority for agency heads to obtain. Congress can help by directing to ensure all agencies have viable Human Capital strategic plans. It heads all decision authorities to use direct hires. It requires agencies to have training and training program. Congress can mep by providing dedicated and importantly fenced training moneys in the agency moneys. Any changes that will give more authority to manage their work force and to empower them with the proper tools will pay great dividends in giving more time to be managers. I applaud the committee for taking on this challenge. I offer my service to do everything i can. Our are there any questions . Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member and members of the Sub Committee thank you for the opportunity today. It aims to address real or perceived problems is to ask what is needed. New laws are more effective enforcement of existing laws. On the question of whether current laws give federal managers adequate authority to manage the federal work force or whether new laws are needed to expand their authority the answer is clear. No new laws are needed. America has the very best Civil Service in the world. This is something we should all be proud of and should celebrate. Virtually all studies of federal employee performance find that the vast majority perform well. It is just a small percentage, probably less than 1 that are problem employees. The focus is so frequently on that minority than on the 99 plus protect were doing a great job every day caring for the american people. It is no overstatement to say it is a cornerstone of our democracy. It is not allegiance to any political power. Veterans need to be sure their doctors and nurses are highly qualified for their jobs. Mechanics need to know not polit