Other Policies at Stake

The Senate general government appropriations bill, like its predecessors, would affect various personnel related policies. For example, it tells GAO to continue monitoring OPM’s retirement systems modernization project, which has been plagued by delays and operational problems for many years. It also orders OPM to make recommendations to address abuse of the temporary hiring authority that has been the subject of a series of reports and a recent congressional hearing, including addressing how employees who have been put on a string of such assignments could get competitive service status. It further would continue restrictions on training not directly related to official duties, and continue through fiscal 2011 a moratorium that has been in effect since fiscal 2009 against starting new Circular A-76 contracting out cost studies.