OPM Director Testifies Before the House Select Committee on Homeland Security
Stresses the Need for a Strong and Responsive Federal Work Force

Washington, D.C. - During testimony in front of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, the Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Kay Coles James, addressed the need for a central agency to "keep America safe."

"It is against the backdrop of war that the President has asked the Congress to create the Department of Homeland Security so that our government will be properly organized and prepared to defend against this new kind of enemy and the changing threats posed to our people," said James. "The Department is a key component of the National Strategy for Homeland Security that the President unveiled today - the first-ever strategy for mobilizing the nation's resources at every level to protect America from terrorist attack."

The DHS would bring together more than 170,000 federal employees from agencies that not only have their own distinct culture, but operate under seven different payroll systems and 22 personnel systems.

"The DHS must be world class, with the best possible equipment and the best possible personnel system - not a patchwork of antiquated systems and inflexible, outmoded practices,"said James. "The bill that the President sent to Congress creates a broad framework to allow the new department to retain the best aspects of the government's existing personnel systems - and to build on them. Our objective is to ensure a smooth transition of people and functions to the new agency at the outset - and ultimately put in place a 21st Century personnel system that meets 21st Century needs - without doing away with Veterans Preference and employment laws such at the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Social Security Act, the Hatch Act and whistleblower protections."

She also said that "the creation of the DHS is not an effort at union busting. There are no hidden agendas."

In closing, James reminded the congressional panel that "more than 3,000 people were killed in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and in the plane that crashed in the woods of Pennsylvania on September 11th. As you move forward with your deliberations, you will be asked to consider many competing interests. I respectfully request that you keep foremost in your thoughts these victims and the lives of potential victims that may be saved by the actions you take."

OPM oversees the federal work force and provides the American public with up-to-date employment information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.