As most feds are now aware, President Trump recently signed an executive order to create a Schedule F in the Excepted Service, a new class of career “confidential, policy-determining, or policy-advocating” positions. Concerning to FMA, this move strips civil service protections from a huge, as yet-untold number of federal workers. 

Much of what we do here at the Federal Managers Association comes down to trying to get a square deal for feds. We recognize that federal managers do critical work on behalf of the country, and that without them and the work they do, the country would not function as well as it does. From disaster response to building transportation infrastructure to protecting our national security, feds do the hard work of keeping our country safe, prosperous, and strong.

One of FMA’s primary objectives each year is to provide a fair pay raise for federal employees that reflects their selfless contributions to their fellow Americans. In February, before the disruptions of Covid-19 set in, President Trump proposed a 1 percent pay raise for federal employees in 2021. While better than a pay freeze, a 1 percent raise fails to keep up with inflation and is inadequate. Regrettably, Congress has thus far chosen to remain silent on the pay raise issue in the appropriations process, effectively acceding to the president’s proposal. Most recently, on Thursday, July 30, the House of Representatives approved a major spending package without language to provide a reasonable pay raise for federal employees in 2021.

On Wednesday, January 29, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other top legislators in the House unveiled a $760 billion infrastructure package. They appealed to President Trump, who campaigned on a $1 trillion infrastructure plan, to join them in moving this funding forward. As recently as May 2019, the President was expected to propose a $2 trillion infrastructure package, but he urged Congress to first pass the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade deal. He signed that deal into place on January 29, the same day House Democrats offered their infrastructure proposal.

It has been two weeks (as of writing) since the administration formally unveiled its long-awaited agency reorganization plan, called “Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century.” We at FMA have heard from many of our members and continue to analyze the merits for reform.