Ames Federal Employees Union

On June 24th, Matt Biggs (IFPTE Legislative Director) and Lee Stone (President of IFPTE local 30 and of the NASA Council of IFPTE locals), along with a senior legislative representative of the AFL-CIO, met directly with Chairman Mollohan (House Appropriations Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice, and Science or CJS). We spent 45 minutes explaining to him the many problems associated with full-cost recovery of CS salary. In the end, he clearly understood how this policy continues to needlessly harm the Agency and waste taxpayer money. We are optimistic that he will support our efforts to address this concern when the final House and Senate NASA Appropriations are reconciled in conference.

In addition to full-cost recovery, along with some specific funding recommendations, we presented the following list of legislative proposals to Chairperson Mikulski’s CJS Appropriations staff prior to the Senate Full-Committee mark-up in June:

1. Include an administrative provision that accords the new NASA Administrator limited and targeted flexibility to reprogram technical CS salary to the Cross-Agency Support Program in the FY10 Operating Plan;

• The most critical action needed to revitalize NASA’s workforce and in-house R&D efforts is the dismantling of full-cost recovery of CS salary, the Bush-O’Keefe accounting practice aimed at undermining the CS workforce. Reprogramming authority to shift all programmatic personnel funds to the Cross Agency Support account should be provided to implement a fiscally and programmatically neutral accounting change in the FY10 Operating Plan. The direct accounting of labor (i.e., the return to pre-Bush accounting) should then be used during the budget formulation and roll-out of the FY11 budget and beyond.

2. Restore the Exploration Ssystems Mission Directorate funding to a level as close as possible to the President’s proposed level and specifically increase the investment in Advanced Capabilities;

• Regardless of the specific recommendations of the Augustine Committee, a healthy human Exploration Systems program will require FY10 funding at the $4 billion level or higher.

3. Provide NASA with two-year appropriation accounts;

• IFPTE supports the Administration’s call for two-year funding for NASA.

4. Include an administrative provision that mandates term-hire reform;

• NASA should be encouraged to convert, to the maximum appropriate extent, current term positions into permanent positions and to hire ~90% of new civil-servant employees into permanent positions.

5. Extend the current RIF defund provision through the end of FY10.

• IFPTE greatly appreciates Congress’ continued bipartisan opposition to layoffs at NASA.

In response to the above requests, the following was achieved at mark-up:

1. Report language in the Senate Appropriations bill that sets the stage to reverse full-cost recovery in the FY11 budget,

Technical Civil Service Workforce.—The Committee is concerned that NASA’s full cost accounting structure does not provide a transparent view of the funding requirements for the Agency’s civil service workforce because funding for technical civil service personnel is included in the program lines. The Committee therefore directs NASA to include in its fiscal year 2011 budget request justification and accounting of civil service salary and expense requirements contained within each program.

IFPTE will continue to work towards achieving the requested flexibility for the FY10 Operating Plan while also working towads the formal establishment of a CS labor account in the FY11 Appropriations.

2. Restoration of the President’s budget for ESMD for FY10 in the Senate bill,

3. Restoration of two-year appropriation accounts for FY10 in the Senate bill,

4. Senate report language that requires NASA to account retroactively and proactively for its use of term positions,

NASA’s Use of Term Positions.—The Committee directs NASA to provide a report no later than 60 days after enactment of this act providing the total number of term positions (both new hires and renewals) to be funded under this act, as well as a summary of NASA’s use of term positions since 1990.

5. Legislative text in both the House and Senate bills that will extend the RIF defund through the end of FY10.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds shall be used to implement any Reduction in Force or other involuntary separations (except for cause) by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration prior to September 30, 2010.

In case you hadn’t heard, IFPTE officially endorsed Sen. Obama for President (way back in the primaries.) The candidate of choice has called for ensuring that NASA continues to be able to access the ISS.

(A related Press Release went out today regarding this bill.)

To All IFPTE Locals,

I wanted to inform you all that the Bush Administration has issued the below veto threat to the IFPTE supported NASA funding bill. It is important to point out that not only does this bill include RIF defund language aimed at protecting NASA’s Civil Servant workforce, it also contains critically important minimum level funding for key NASA programs supported by IFPTE members. Also, this funding is important for the safety of the flying public, as well as for government contractors like Boeing (aeronautics research performed at NASA).

Given the anti-worker, anti-Civil Servant, anti-Science policies of this Administration, this veto threat is not surprising. However, it is worth sharing with all of you so that the IFPTE membership can see it first hand.

Many thanks are in order to Subcommittee Chairman Mollohan (D, WV), who put together a pretty good bill in a time of extremely tight fiscal resources, and in the face of a veto threat by the Administration. We can only hope that the Democratically controlled Congress will continue to produce good funding bills for the workers and for the American taxpayer despite these misguided threats from the Administration.

Here is a portion of the Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) detailing the veto threat.

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“Because Congress has failed to demonstrate such a path, if H.R. 3093 were presented to the President, he would veto the bill. …

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - The Administration supports the House’s full funding for NASA’s Exploration Systems and Space Shuttle. However, the Administration does not endorse funding in excess of the request for Aeronautics, Education, and Science, where increases for near-term support would create unsustainable outyear funding requirements. The Administration also strongly objects to reductions to the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Continuation Project that would reduce the future system availability of critical space communications capabilities for NASA and other partner agencies. The Administration further objects to the proposed establishment of several new appropriations accounts in FY 2008, that are not necessary and would adversely impact NASA’s financial management system, processes, and controls.”

_________________________________________________________
Matthew S. Biggs
Assistant to the President/Legislative Director
International Federation of Professional &
Technical Engineers (IFPTE), AFL-CIO

Dear Ames Federal Employee:

The following is a link to an article in Government Executive about NASA’s workforce proposals:

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=37014&dcn=todaysnews

As you know from IPFTE’s testimony last week, we support the proposals to enhance voluntary buyouts through an increase in the current $25,000 cap and an extension of medical benefits. However, we strongly oppose new “flexibilities” to convert career-permanent positions to term positions, or any other proposal that undermines civil-service protections for NASA employees. We are particularly appalled by the overtly discriminatory proposal by the National Academy of Public Administration’s to provide NASA with the “emergency” authority to force employees to retire, as it is an shameless attempt to scapegoat older employees. Older NASA employees are not a problem; they are an asset. Indeed, most provide absolutely critical capabilities and wisdom to the Agency.

We continue to argue that a fundamental mismatch between NASA’s assigned responsibilities and its budget is driving all of NASA’s current problems. We urge Congress to provide NASA with an honest budget consistent with the Authorization Act, so that NASA can move forward successfully with its broad set of missions for the nation.

NASA management has been muzzled with respect to the issue of budget as they are required to express blind loyalty to the Administration’s proposed budget even if their best technical judgement differs from this line. Fortunately, through Union representation, NASA employees (and even their silenced managers) have a public voice that can let Congress and the public know that NASA needs appropriate financial resources commensurate with its daunting responsibilities, if we are to deliver on our promises.

The Ames Federal Employees Union wishes you and your family a great memorial day weekend.

Sincerely,

–Lee
VP, Legislative Affairs
AFEU, IFPTE local 30
AFL-CIO

As many of you have heard, our own VP of Legislative Affairs, Dr. Leland Stone, testified before the Subcommittee for Space & Aeronautics, a House subcommittee of the Space & Technology Committee. The hearing subject was, “Building and Maintaining a Healthy and Strong NASA Workforce”. Lee represented IFPTE employees at NASA before the subcommittee and provided written testimony to the subcommittee. This is the second time he has testified before this subcommittee.

Video of the hearing.

Audio of the hearing.

Lee’s written testimony.