The House-Senate conference committee on 2006 Department
of Homeland Security appropriations has recommended $30
million for implementing the department’s new personnel
system — MaxHR — $23 million less than what the department
sought. Both the House and Senate then passed the bill,
clearing it for President Bush’s signature.
The National Treasury Employees Union, which has opposed
the new personnel system from the beginning, praised the
report for including language directing DHS to submit to
Congress a report detailing all contract obligations and
expenditures broken out by contractor, year and purpose.
Unions have questioned the need for a $175 million contract
with Northrop-Grumman to implement the system, and have
prevented the department from moving forward with its plans
to implement key parts of the system as a result of a
federal lawsuit.
The Department of Defense has not yet published its final
regulations for its own similar personnel system in the
Federal Register, but could face a similar lawsuit and
delays to its plans.
