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On Capitol Hill, Work Begins on 2022 Funding
It's appropriations season on Capitol Hill. House subcommittees are conducting hearings on the fiscal year 2022 budget with the goal of having funding bills ready to begin markups in June after the president's full budget is released.
The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to convene a hearing on the CBP budget next week. NTEU will provide testimony pushing for additional funding for CBP Office of Field Operations new hires and to cover user fee shortfalls from reduced trade and travel to ensure CBP Officers can stay on the job during the economic recovery.
For the IRS, there are multiple calls to increase IRS funding for the upcoming fiscal year and to provide a mandatory 10-year funding stream. NTEU welcomes these efforts, which the union has called for over many years, and continues to advocate for the resources the IRS badly needs to restore its depleted staffing and operating budget.
The White House is expected to release its full budget request by the end of the month, which will likely include a proposal for a 2022 federal pay raise. NTEU has endorsed legislation providing an average 3.2 percent raise for federal workers next year.
Last month, President Biden released a summary of his budget request for fiscal year 2022, which includes a 16 percent increase in non-defense discretionary spending. The budget also calls for a 10.4 percent increase for IRS customer service and enforcement, and $1 billion for the Department of Homeland Security for border and port infrastructure.
We will keep you updated as the appropriations process continues.
From the NTEU Bulletin: Representational Roundups
At NTEU, some of our most important fights don’t make big headlines. They happen in workplaces around the country where local chapters are helping individual employees resolve problems.
In a sneak peek of the latest NTEU Bulletin, read about the perseverance and tenacity of Chapter 66 (IRS Kansas City Service Center) as it took on a two-year battle with the IRS to secure employees the back pay they were owed.
Also in this issue, read about how reports of Personnel Action Request (PAR) delays prompted Chapter 37 (IRS Cleveland) to launch a Facebook campaign educating employees on the PAR process and sharing information on how NTEU can help with individual issues.
Read the May NTEU Bulletin
ICYMI: Reardon Takes to the Media to Thank Federal Employees
In an op-ed published by GovExec, National President Tony Reardon marked Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) by expressing his gratitude to federal employees.
“It is not fame or fortune that civil servants seek, but the profound satisfaction that comes with serving their fellow Americans,” said Reardon. “Their success is not measured in profit margins, but in services delivered for the greater good. They are taxpayers who work for their fellow taxpayers. Our democracy does not function without them.”
Reardon also appeared on Federal News Network’s podcast to discuss the importance of unions in the federal workplace.
"Unions provide employees a meaningful voice in the workplace through collective bargaining. You know, frontline workers have the best viewpoint for how to improve government services and their union helps them to be heard and makes it safe for them to express their viewpoints,” he said.
Monday is the Last Day to File Your Taxes
If you haven’t filed your 2020 tax return, the clock is ticking.
The deadline to file your taxes is Monday, May 17. In March, the IRS pushed back the date for individual returns due to the pandemic, giving most taxpayers an extra month to file.
As a reminder, NTEU members have free access to tax preparation software and IRS-certified volunteers who can provide expert help with federal tax questions. Don’t wait, file today.
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