This report provides an update on issues affecting federal managers. As always, I encourage you to visit www.fedmanagers.org on a regular basis for more information on these and other matters.

Also, be sure to look for the monthly FMA Grassroots Update where we offer links to action letters and FMA-PAC matters we do not address in the Washington Report. The grassroots newsletter is sent exclusively to non-governmental email addresses to avoid any Hatch Act violations. If you are not receiving it, contact the national office to provide your non-governmental email address.

Please feel free to provide feedback any time by emailing Greg Stanford at gstanford@fedmanagers.org, or by calling the National Office at (703) 683-8700. Thank you for your membership in FMA. It’s an honor to represent your interests before Congress and the administration.

The Federal Managers Association (FMA) is pleased to announce its newest elected officers. FMA National Treasurer and Chapter 396 President Linda S. Lentjes was elected as the Association’s National President and FMA Chapter 14 President James Cappa was elected National Secretary at FMA’s 88th annual National Convention and Management Training Seminar in Alexandria, Virginia.

A 43-year veteran of the Department of Defense, including both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy, Linda S. Lentjes brings with her a wealth of experience as both a supervisor and employee. Linda has held many leadership positions within the Association at the chapter, regional, and national levels – most recently as National Treasurer – prior to her election as National President.

In her professional life, Lentjes serves as Resource and Requirements Director/Comptroller with the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet, at Naval Station Mayport, Jacksonville, Florida, a position she’s held for more than 21 years. She began her career as a GS-2 temporary administrative employee.

Chris Lombardi, the Production Resource Department Branch Head at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS), was recently named as FMA's Manager of the Year. He was presented the award at FMA’s 88th annual National Convention and Management Training Seminar.

In his professional career, Chris is responsible for ensuring a qualified and available workforce for more than 3,500 individuals at PNS. With 18 years in the department, Chris has risen from a tooling and parts mechanic to a subject matter expert in all aspects of resource management. His leadership has been instrumental in driving the PNS mission forward in support of our nation’s Navy. During challenging periods of hiring freezes and government shutdowns, Chris was a key architect of PNS hiring events, developing strategies that enabled the shipyard to meet and exceed tough hiring goals. His innovative approach and tireless efforts ensure the shipyard is staffed with the best talent to meet its critical needs.

“Chris Lombardi embodies the ideals of leadership, service, and integrity that FMA is known for,” said Jason Sargent, Immediate Past President of Chapter 6. “He excels in his professional role, strengthens every organization he is a part of, and tirelessly works to uplift those around him -- whether at the Shipyard, within FMA, or in his community. His actions consistently demonstrate a profound commitment to putting people first.”

FMA members gathered in Alexandria, Virginia, for the association’s 87th National Convention & Management Training Seminar March 22-25, 2026. This year’s event once again included an open house of FMA’s National Office, steps away from the hotel.

FMA National President Craig Carter gaveled in the convention and provided opening remarks. Members then heard from keynote presenter Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor, who addressed many initiatives the agency is working on. Director Kupor also fielded questions from FMA members in a candid Q&A session.

Members then heard reports from national officers and Director of Government & Public Affairs Greg Stanford and held elections for National President and National Secretary. Linda S. Lentjes (Chapter 396, Mayport Naval Station, Florida) was elected to a two-year term as National President, while James Cappa (Chapter 14, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington) was elected Secretary. You can read more about Linda and James in a separate article in this edition of the Washington Report.

At the Federal Managers Association's recent National Convention, FMA National Treasurer Linda S. Lentjes was elected National President. This has created a vacancy for the position of National Treasurer. Per FMA's National Bylaws, the National Executive Board is charged with appointing an FMA member to fill the remainder of the unexpired term of this position until elections are held at the next national convention.

To identify those who may be best qualified and interested in serving in this role, the FMA Executive Board is announcing this opportunity for nominations for the position. Interested FMA members should provide a biography and brief message on why you would like to serve in this role. Nominations will be reviewed by the Executive Board and candidate interviews will then be conducted, with a decision being announced soon after.

As we announced last week, the Federal Managers Association mourns the passing of our former National President Darryl Perkinson, who served from 2006-2010. Darryl took over the reins at a time of difficult transition for FMA, and worked hard to put the Association on the best path forward. He also served on the FMA General Executive Board when the Association acquired the national headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1993.

He was passionate about FMA and his work at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. He will be missed greatly by his friends, former work colleagues, and his fellow FMA Chapter 3 members. To his family, FMA says, "thank you for so generously sharing Darryl with Team FMA."

Rest in peace, Darryl.

Click here to read Darryl's obituary, and to express your condolences.

On Friday, April 3, President Donald Trump formally released the Administration's fiscal year 2027 (FY27) budget request. The request calls for a pay freeze for the federal workforce in 2027 and proposes significant cuts to non-defense agencies. As we anticipated, the proposal includes $1.5 trillion for defense spending, a roughly 42 percent increase ($445 billion more) than FY 2026. A large chunk of that funding – $350 billion – could come in another reconciliation bill, rather than the usual appropriations process. Reconciliation bills, such as the One Big Beautiful Act from 2025, cannot be filibustered in the Senate.

More details regarding the funding sought for the Department of Defense is expected on April 21.

Newly sworn-in Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President Linda S. Lentjes made several comments on the Administration's budget plans in a press release.

In the midst of an unprecedented lapse in funding, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains in in partial government shutdown. More than six months into Fiscal Year 2026, DHS remains unfunded. A continuing resolution funding DHS expired on February 14, 2026.

The House has passed a DHS funding bill (H.R. 7147), endorsed by President Trump. The Senate, meanwhile, has advanced a proposal that funds DHS except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Under that plan, funding for immigration enforcement would be included in another reconciliation process.

Congress will return from a 2-week Easter recess on April 14.

As we reported last month, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a final rule in February creating the excepted service “Schedule Policy/Career” (Schedule P/C) category. It was first introduced as Schedule F in October 2020. Schedule Policy/Career took effect on March 8.

Feds placed in the Schedule P/C category will lose their traditional civil service protections and ability to appeal performance-based and adverse actions to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). In addition, these career federal employees will be ineligible for loan repayment options and in most cases barred from receiving recruitment, retention, or relocation incentives, similar to Schedule C and political employees. Schedule P/C employees will remain eligible for performance awards, severance pay, and “critical position pay.”

OPM released guidance for managers and supervisors on managing feds who are reclassified into Schedule P/C. The linked quick reference guide includes more information about what changes for how to manage these positions, what does not change, and your role as a manager when a position you supervise is moved into Schedule P/C.

On March 23, FMA joined colleagues from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), NARFE, and others, urging both the Senate and House to cosponsor and pass the Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3168 / H.R. 7137). This legislation, led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), would ensure feds are paid during any lapse in appropriations.

“The federal government is currently experiencing its third shutdown this fiscal year,” the letter read, referring to the partial government shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security. “During the current lapse, transportation security officers, Coast Guard personnel, and other Department of Homeland Security employees continue reporting to work to protect the public, even as their paychecks are withheld.”

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would receive a major overhaul if bipartisan legislation introduced in February is signed into law. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act (S. 3931), which would make significant changes to IRS administration and procedures. The legislators say the 162-page bill encompasses proposals recommended by the National Taxpayer Advocate, as well as stand-alone tax administration bills previously introduced by their colleagues. The Senate Finance Committee has primary jurisdiction over the IRS in the U.S. Senate. The goal of the bill is “to improve communication between the IRS and taxpayers, streamline processes for tax compliance and ensure taxpayers have access to timely expert assistance, among other much-needed reforms,” according to a joint press release from the Senators.

“The process of filing your tax return and receiving your refund should be simple and fast,” Sen. Crapo said in a statement. “These reforms will improve the taxpayer experience and help the IRS better serve Idahoans and all Americans.”

Sen. Wyden concurred, saying this legislation has been in the works for years. He called it a “major opportunity” for improved IRS service. “One of the most absurd things about our tax system is that its complexity forces millions of Americans to turn to paid tax return preparers ever year, but there are zero minimum standards in place to ensure those paid preparers actually know what they’re doing or follow the law,” Wyden said. “Crooked tax return preparers are regularly exploiting taxpayers to pad their own bottom lines, and the worst part is, taxpayers might not even realize they’ve been ripped off until it’s too late.”

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform unanimously passed the Federal Workforce Early Separation Incentives Act (H.R. 7256), legislation in February that would modernize the federal workforce volunteer buyout program and increase financial incentives. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY), passed by a vote of 43-0.

“Taxpayers deserve a federal government that is efficient, accountable, and appropriately sized,” said Rep. Langworthy in a statement upon introduction. “By ending the 30-year-old cap, and instead tying the retirement incentive to earned income, we will make the VSIP more fair and potentially appealing. This legislation brings a common-sense update to a program that has been frozen in time, giving agencies a better option to reduce costs while treating federal employees fairly.”

The Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) program, created in the 1990s to allow federal agencies to offer buyouts to those who voluntarily leave government service, has a $25,000 cap. Many have noted that limit has lost its appeal due to inflation and rising salaries over the past thirty years.

As we discussed in last month’s Washington Report, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed another rule change, impacting how federal managers rank their employees, capping the number of 4s and 5s (above average) that can be given to employees. The rule change would result in a return to the “forced distribution” quota system that has been prohibited for decades. There is no cap on the number of 3s or 1s. The proposed rule also eliminates the ability to rank an employee with a 2 (minimally satisfactory).

The effort is part of the Trump administration’s effort to address inflated ratings and follows communications OPM has voiced since the summer of 2025.

FMA submitted comments to the proposed rule change, writing, “Improving accountability, reinforcing a culture of high performance, and ensuring meaningful differentiation in evaluations are important and worthwhile goals FMA supports. A well-designed performance management system can help recognize excellence, address underperformance, and better align individual contributions with agency missions. However, any approach that relies on fixed or forced distributions of ratings risks introducing unnecessary rigidity into what should be a thoughtful and evidence-based process. Requiring managers to fit employees into predetermined categories, regardless of actual performance levels, can undermine the credibility of evaluations and reduce trust in the system.”

The 5th Annual Feds in Motion Challenge kicks off on May 1, 2026, continues during Public Service Recognition Week (#PSRW) May 5-11, and keeps on going through June 6. It’s all about moving in your favorite way — walk, run, bike, swim, or roll your wheelchair on your favorite route — to reach the goal of 37 miles (or more!) in 37 days.

It would be amazing if every FMA member joined the Feds in Motion Challenge. To make this easy, and to show your FMA pride, we have created Team FMA. To join Team FMA, please visit https://runsignup.com/RaceGroups/106910/Groups/2024945. As an added bonus, members of teams of 5 or more receive a $5 discount on registration!