Lawmakers Call for Congressional Hearings on Capacity of Federal Workforce Reentry

On September 15, 2021, a group of lawmakers sent a letter to Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman, calling for hearings on the continued shut down of in-person services for federal agencies and the status of agency reentry plans. 

Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) composed the letter, joined by Reps. James Comer (R-KY), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Jody Hice (R-GA), Michael Cloud (R-TX), and Fred Keller (R-PA). 

The request stems from constituents’ concern on inadequate access and availability to essential services and apprehension regarding limited oversight in the implementation of reentry plans.

For example, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), on June 10, 2021, issued a memorandum (M-21-25) in partnership with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The directive states federal agencies are to abide by “updated guidance and information from the CDC and the [Safer Federal Workforce] Task Force as conditions change” and affirmed the current status of federal agencies as “open with maximum telework flexibilities to all current telework eligible employees.” 

The lawmakers indicate the policies outlined by the CDC “do not recommend a continued shut down of in-person services.” Instead, the CDC focuses on COVID-19 prevention strategies, cleaning protocols, and investigations. Further, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force distributed guidance to assist federal agencies in developing workforce reentry plans with a July 19, 2021 deadline. Several agencies have reported they have submitted plans, there is currently no public access to these plans.

The lawmakers noted specific alarm with in-person services at the Social Security Administration (SSA). Most SSA offices are closed, forcing Americans who do not qualify for in-person appointments to mail in their driver’s license as proof of identification. Likewise, Supplemental Security Income corrections with Medicare deductions are unresolved, leaving seniors without essential documents.

The letter contends telework “has outlived its usefulness to protect federal employees and is now causing a serious strain on the American public.”

“Our constituents bear a massive burden due to the inability to access the help they need in a timely manner,” stated Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX), “The Oversight and Reform Committee must hold a hearing on the operational capacity and full reopening of agency physical locations, including satellite offices, and provide timely services to the taxpayers who support their very existence.”

The House lawmakers requested OMB, OPM, and GSA respond to a list of questions regarding the status of agency reentry plans, the continued use of telework, and agency awareness of telework’s burden on the effective delivery of taxpayer services. The lawmakers requested a full Committee hearing to address these matters as well.

Senate lawmakers have also signaled trepidation on the reentry of the federal workforce and the subsequent negative impact on taxpayers. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) shared concern about this with Secretary Denis McDonough of the Department for Veterans Affairs (VA) in an August 30, 2021, letter. The 182,000 backlogged disability claims demonstrate the repercussions of restricted in-person services. The backlog is the result of a temporary hiatus of in-person Compensation and Pension examinations in 2020. Though in-person assessments have resumed, the backlog remains significant. As of today, the claims backlog count is at 207,000.