Chairman Volcker and members of the National Commission on the Public Service, I am pleased to join my colleagues this morning to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the federal workforce. As chairman of the Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation, and Federal Services, I have held and participated in a number of hearings on this very subject, and I thank the Commission for adding its voice to this critical dialogue on public service.

A couple of years after I came to Congress, we passed the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. That legislation responded to many of the same issues confronting our government today. Like the latest proposals, this Act sought to institute more effective recruitment, management, and retention tools.

I believe the federal government was strengthened as an employer because of the CSRA. Today, the federal civil service merit principles serve as a model for equal employment practices to both the private sector and foreign governments. However, the continuing decline in trust of government, and the public's view that federal employees are not doing their jobs, creates a barrier that no amount of managerial flexibility will overcome. No wonder surveys show that federal employee morale is dropping.

Unless we foster a positive view of public service, we will be unable to attract talented young people into government employment. Unfortunately, this was the same conclusion reached by the First Volcker Commission over 12 years ago. Yet for those who care about the future of the civil service, we are faced with tough questions:

• How do we advertise the government as an employer of choice if agencies lack funding for incentives - like money to implement fully the student loan repayment or training programs?
• How do we balance recruitment and retention goals with the Administration's goals for competitive sourcing?
• More broadly, how do we ensure a commitment from the highest levels of government, including Congress, to allocate needed resources to achieve a strong and educated workforce.

Four months ago, I chaired two days of hearings on civil service reform proposals. Although the approaches varied, I felt there was general agreement that there were issues that must be addressed before passing civil service reform legislation. These include:

• The pay and benefits gap between government and private workers,
• The lack of funding for recruitment and retention bonuses,
• The uneven application of performance standards,
• The need for better training for managers, and
• The Administration's application of outsourcing quotas.

Moreover, shaping a legislative proposal that responds to the concerns of management and labor will require strong leadership. It will also require a healing of the distrust that has built up within the employee unions and a desire on the part of the Administration to communicate openly. Until the cultural differences that have built up over the years are broken down, there will be little desire on the part of either side to compromise.

I find myself coming back to the need to honor those who choose public service. I am pleased that anti-government rhetoric has abated somewhat in the wake of the terrorist attacks last fall. Although a recent Brookings survey shows that distrust of government is climbing once again, other studies indicate that a higher percentage of young Americans are considering federal service as an employment opportunity.

I hope those thinking about federal employment will see that there is a talented and professional workforce helping to protect our borders and support our armed forces abroad. I was pleased that the President took time last week to recognize that federal employees have been a part of the country's recovery since September 11. I firmly believe that our federal workforce is this nation's backbone.

I want to conclude by thanking my colleagues who are here today. We will continue to work together for the good of the government and its employees. I also want to refute the notion that Congress cannot enact civil service reform legislation. I admit that it is not easy to forge a consensus when dealing with such diverse opinions and constituencies. However, my friends and I are working together to break down these barriers, and I believe we will be successful in moving some government-wide proposals.

We must also remember that the creation of a Department of Homeland Security moves the federal government in a direction that will have a significant impact on the federal workforce now and in the future. As I have said time and again, a strong workforce comes from having the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time. Only then will government operate in an effective, efficient, and economic manner.

I am honored to have a role in making that happen, and I again thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the Commission, for your service to our federal workforce.