AMERICAN FED OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO - 2025 second_quarter · Congress.wiki

AMERICAN FED OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO - 2025 second_quarter · Congress.wiki

Government IssuesView all

Lobbied the House and Senate on H.R. 1 reconciliation opposing cuts to FERS and FEHB and changes to Title 5 workplace rules to pay for the bills tax cuts. Lobbied the House and Senate on H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, to oppose rescissions to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of State and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Lobbied House and Senate appropriators about FY26 appropriations. Lobbied in support of Discharge Petition 6 that would make in order H.R. 2550, the Protect American Workers Act to restore collective bargaining rights at several federal agencies. Lobbied against the nomination of Paul Ingrassia to head the Office of Special Counsel. Lobbied against the nomination Charles Arrington to serve on the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Lobbied against S. 854, Risky Research Review Act. Lobbied in support of S. 572, Shadow Wolves Improvement Act. Lobbied against the confirmation of Scott Kupor to be the director of the Office of Personnel Management. Lobbied against the confirmation of Eric M. Ueland to be Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget. Lobbied in support of H.R. 2550 (and lobbied for the introduction of a Senate companion), the Protect Americas Workforce Act to rescind the Trump Executive Order eliminating federal collective bargaining rights at several federal agencies. Lobbied the House and Senate on FY 2026 reconciliation opposing cuts to FERS and FEHB to pay for 2017 tax cuts. Lobbied against passage of H.R. 473, the "SHOW UP Act" and its provisions that would abrogate collective bargaining agreements. Lobbied in support of H.R. 493 and S. 126 the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act Lobbied against cutting services at federal agencies, pay and benefits of federal employees, Social Security and Medicare as a precondition of raising the debt ceiling. Lobbied in support of the "DC Admissions Act," H.R. 51 and S. 51 to make the D.C. a state. Lobbied in support of passage of S. 1077 to prevent massive budget cuts to D.C. budget. Lobbied in support of amendments to the House and Senate budget resolutions to restore collective bargaining rights. Lobbied in support of H.R. 491/S. 624, the "Equal COLA Act" for Federal Employee Retirement System beneficiaries' cost-of-living adjustment to be the same as Civil Service Retirement System benefits rather than arbitrarily cut by one full percentage point. Lobbied on behalf of Social Security workforce on agency funding, the collective bargaining agreement, telework, and recruitment and retention benefits. Lobbied in support of H.R. 2086 and S. 997 the "Rights for the TSA Workforce Act to provide full title 5 collective bargaining rights for transportation security officers. Lobbied in support of H.R. 1835 the Model Employee Reinstatement for Ill-advised Termination (MERIT) Act to reinstate and provide back pay to probationary federal employees who were unjustly fired in 2025. Lobbied in support of H.R. 492 and S. 134, the Saving the Civil Service Act to prevent the politicization of the non-partisan civil service by limiting the conversion of federal jobs from the competitive service to the excepted service without congressional approval. Lobbied in support of H.R. 759 the Federal Firefighter's Families First Act to include mandatory overtime hours worked into the calculation of retirement benefits. Lobbied in support of H.R. 1637 and S. 914 the Protect Veterans Jobs Act to reinstate veterans who were fired from their jobs a during the Trump Administration and DOGE purge of federal employees. Lobbied in support of H.R. 1989 the Protect Our Probationary Employees Act to ensure that if terminated probationary employees are reinstated, they will not need to restart their probationary period for the same job they previously held and can continue to do the important work of the American people. Lobbied in support of H.R. 2470 the COST of Relocations Act to require a cost-benefit analysis to be submitted to Congress to ensure that any attempt to move federal agencies is appropriately analyzed to guarantee it is in the best interest of the taxpayer and the agencys mission. Lobbied in opposition to H.R. 1210/S. 511, the Protecting Taxpayers Wallet Act Lobbied in opposition to H.R. 2249, the Preserving Presidential Management Authority Act Lobbied in opposition to H.R. 2174/S. 1597, the Paycheck Protection Act

Contacted:Defense, Dept of (DOD), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

VeteransView all

Staffing: Lobbied against termination of probationary VA workers. Lobbied against proposed 80,000 and subsequent 32,000 worker Reduction in Force at VA. Lobbied against President Trumps Presidential Memorandum, Return to In-Person Work. Lobbied the Trump Administration to exempt the VA from the Trump Administration Executive Order, Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs. Lobbied for oversight of VA worker exemptions from the federal employee hiring freeze ordered by President Trump. Lobbied in support of S.1068, the Putting Veterans First Act of 2025, which reinstates fired veteran employees, puts limitations on hiring freezes, and creates civil service protections for federal employees. Privatization: Lobbied against H.R. 1972, the Standardizing Treatment and Referral Times Act of 2025, which would establish that the period during which the referral of a veteran to a private provider remains valid begins on the day of the first appointment. This provision allows private providers to skirt timeliness requirements altogether by giving them an indefinite period in which they can provide services. Lobbied against H.R. 740/S. 275, the Veterans Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025. AFGE specifically opposes the provisions codifying the access standards, making veteran preference to go to a private provider a criterion for what constitutes best medical interest, and creating a three-year pilot program where veterans could access outpatient mental health and substance use services without referral or preauthorization. Lobbied against provisions in H.R. 3944, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026, that would have increased funding for community care by 50%, thereby diverting funding from direct care. Quality: Lobbied against H.R.9438, the "No Wrong Door for Veterans Act," which eliminates the requirement that previous recipients of grants reapplying to the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program show evidence of efficacy. Scheduling: Lobbied to improve H.R. 3482, the Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act, which would require VA to create a scheduling program that would allow a scheduler to schedule appointments either within the VA or with a private provider in the Veterans Community Care Program. VA Collective Bargaining Rights: Lobbied in opposition to H.R. 472/S. 124, the Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025. Lobbied in support of H.R. 932, the Protecting VA Employees Act. Lobbied in support of H.R. 2550, the Protect Americas Workforce Act as it relates to VA employees. Lobbied in support of H.R. 3261, the VA Employee Fairness Act. Lobbied in support of draft legislation, the VA Correct Compensation Act. Lobbied Members of Congress to urge Secretary Collins to exempt as many VA employees as possible from President Trumps Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs Executive Order 14251. VA Compensation: Lobbied in support of H.R. 493/S. 126, the "FAIR Act" to raise pay for federal employees at the VA. Lobbied in support of H.R. 491/S. 624, the "Equal COLA Act" to protect VA employees in FERS. Lobbied in support of H.R. 657, the "VA CPE Modernization Act." Lobbied in support draft legislation, the "Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act" and draft legislation, the "Law Enforcement Officers Parity Act" as it pertains to VA Police Officers. Veterans Benefits Administration and Board of Veterans Appeals: Lobbied for changes to and oversight of Veterans Benefits Administration's (VBA) employee performance standards. Lobbied for increased oversight and changes to performance standards for Legal Administrative Assistants in the VBA National Call Centers. Lobbied for comprehensive changes to internal VBA processes for claims, including changes to the VBA National Work Queue. Lobbied to require the VA to include VA employee input when making changes to the claims process, employee performance standards, and training for claims processors. Lobbied on the processing of complex claims within the Veterans Benefits Administration, including how it relates to Military Sexual Trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury, and catastrophic injury claims. Lobbied on the specialization of claims processing for highly complex cases. Lobbied to prevent compassion fatigue for certain claims processors. Lobbied against contracting out of VA Disability Exams (C&P Exams). Lobbied for reforms to the VBA National Work Queue. Lobbied for oversight and improvements into VBA employee training. Lobbied on VBAs use of Performance Improvement Plans. Lobbied in support of H.R. 2303, the Board of Veterans Appeals Attorney Retention and Backlog Reduction Act. Lobbied in support of H.R. 659, the Veterans Law Judge Experience Act. Lobbied in support of H.R. 1578, the Veterans Claims Education Act. Lobbied in support of parts of H.R. 2201, the Improving VA Training for Military Sexual Trauma Claims Act. Lobbied in support of H.R. 2137, the Review Every Veterans Claims Act. Provided commentary on H.R. 1741, the Veterans Appeals Transparency Act. Lobbied in support of H.R. 2701, the Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act. Lobbied in opposition to H.R. 3854, the Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act. Lobbied in opposition to H.R. 3951, the Rural Veterans Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025. Testimony and Comments: AFGE member James Swartz testified at a House Veterans Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing titled Examining VA Efforts to Decrease Delays in Veterans Disability Compensation Claims On April 9, 2025. AFGE member LaVawn Green participated in a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Spotlight forum on May 14, 2025. AFGE sent a letter to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee for a hearing on Pending Legislation on May 21, 2025. AFGE member Dr. Sheila Elliott participated in a Democratic Steering Committee Field Hearing on June 3, 2025. AFGE submitted a Statement for the Record for a House Veterans Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing on Pending Legislation on June 24, 2025. AFGE sent a letter of endorsement on July 14, 2025 to the cosponsors of the of H.R. 4077/S.2145, the GUARD Veterans Health Care Act, which would allow the VA to bill Medicare Advantage plans for services provided to veterans enrolled in these plans, preventing taxpayers from having to pay twice for veteran care.

Contacted:HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Civil Rights/Civil LibertiesView all

Lobbied Congress in support of H.R. 2550, the Protect Americas Workforce Act to rescind EO to eliminate federal collective bargaining rights. Lobbied opposing cuts to pay and benefits in reconciliation instructions. Lobbied Congress to require Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide safe staffing and workplace safety measures for correctional officers. Lobbied in support of legislation and funding to address exposure to toxic substances including fentanyl, K2 and spice sent through the mail to BOP facilities. Lobbied in opposition to augmentation and in support of full staffing, funding and workplace safety for correctional officers and all BOP staff. Lobbied for higher funding levels for BOP and continued prohibition of closure of minimum-security camps; lobbied for funding to hire adequate numbers of correctional staff; end the use of augmentation to compensate for lack of hiring correctional officer positions; alleviate overcrowding at high-security institutions; increase unit officer staff at high security institutions; and reduce the use of BOP contract prisons. Lobbied in support of H.R. 378 and S. 83, the "Thin Blue Line Act," which would make murdering a law enforcement officer an aggravated factor in sentencing for a capital crime. Lobbied in support of H.R. 1556 and S. 718, "Eric's Law," which would allow the empaneling of a new jury if a jury fails to reach a unanimous verdict in a trial involving the murder of a law enforcement officer. Lobbied in opposition to H.R. 2027 and S. 298 the Return SBA to Mainstreet Act to relocate 30% of SBA from Washington, D.C. to another location in the United States. Lobbied in support of S. 736, the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act introduced by Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to crack down on the smuggling of contraband cellphones into federal prisons by upgrading the charge for such smuggling from a misdemeanor offense to a felony. Lobbied in opposition to removal of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Commissioners. Lobbied in support of S. 307, the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act introduced by Senator Blackburn (R-TN) and Senator Ossoff (D-GA) to address sexual harassment and sexual assault of Bureau of Prisons staff in prisons. Lobbied in opposition to potential lease terminations of EEOC facilities. Lobbied in support of Rep. Golden (D-ME) discharge petition #6 on H.R. 2550.

Contacted:HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Labor Issues/Antitrust/WorkplaceView all

Lobbied for Lori Chavez DeRemer to be confirmed as the Secretary of Labor. Lobbied for funding, staffing and protection of collective bargaining rights for DOL employees. Lobbied Congress in support of H.R. 2550, the Protect Americas Workforce Act to rescind EO to eliminate federal collective bargaining rights. Lobbied opposing cuts to federal pay and benefits in reconciliation instructions. Lobbied in support of H.R. 493 /S. 126, the "Federal Adjustment of Income Rates" (FAIR) Act. Lobbied in support of reintroduction of the "Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act" to give federal employees twelve weeks of paid leave for instances covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Lobbied in opposition to significant staffing and budget cuts to DOL including at the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs (OFCCP) Lobbied in support of H.R. 989 to codify Executive Order 11246 titled "Equal Employment Opportunity" and fight to protect the OFCCP. Lobbied to oppose cuts to pay and staffing of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education. Lobbied in support of good faith bargaining and strong union role in return to work bargaining for EEOC employees. Lobbied in support of reintroduction of the "Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act" allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to diagnose, prescribe treatment, and certify an injury and the extent of disability for the purpose of compensating federal workers under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA). Lobbied House and Senate Members regarding staffing and funding challenges facing the Social Security Administration. Lobbied in support of H.R. 4734 to prohibit the Social Security Administration from ordering staffing reductions and field offices closures that would jeopardize the efficient delivery of services to retirees, people with disabilities, and survivors. Lobbied the House and Senate on H.R. 1 opposing provisions that proposed cuts to FERS and FEHB and changes to Title 5 workplace rights to pay for tax cuts.

Contacted:HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE