Language in the $57.5 billion fiscal 2006 Science-State-
Justice-Commerce Appropriations bill — passed by the
House Appropriations Committee — would require several
agencies to either prove their ranks of teleworkers are
growing or risk a loss of funds.
Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., added the language, according to
a statement from his office, noting that he also inserted
language in the fiscal 2005 omnibus spending bill giving
the departments of Justice, State and Commerce, the
Small Business Administration and the Securities and
Exchange Commission, the option of either certifying
that their eligible workers are permitted to telework
or forfeit $5 million at the end of the fiscal year.
His office said that with newly expanded jurisdiction,
those requirements extend to NASA and the National
Science Foundation as well.
Wolf has requested a Government Accountability Office
review of the agency claims.
“I don’t like having to be so heavy handed and threaten
to withhold funding, but if that is what it is going to
take to get more people teleworking, then that is what
I will continue to do,” the congressman said.
