U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA) have introduced the Homeland Security Federal Workforce Act to strengthen the federal government's recruitment and retention efforts in the areas of science, mathematics, and foreign language where there is a growing absence of qualified personnel. The initiative aims to bolster the federal workforce and ensure that the federal government has the resources to recruit and retain skilled workers for national security positions.
"Now more than ever, we must make sure we have the right people with the right skills in the right place," Akaka said. "Yet, the General Accounting Office has reported that agencies have shortages in translators and interpreters and an overall shortfall in the language proficiency levels needed to carry out their missions. The federal government also lacks personnel with scientific and engineering skills. The supply of talented engineers is not keeping pace with the growing demand.
"Over the past four decades, our country has failed to maintain its supremacy in these critical skill areas. The lack of critical personnel and needed skills in our national security agencies undermines the war against terrorism. We will remain at risk as long as the federal government is unable to attract and retain talented employees, and as long as U.S. students fall farther behind in math, science, and foreign languages."
The Homeland Security Federal Workforce Act proposes several measures to ensure that the government preserves its expertise in matters of national security. Currently, agencies are forced to decide between funding programs and investing in their workforce. This is a no-win situation and has prevented many agencies from fully utilizing the federal student loan repayment program which is intended to be a powerful recruitment and retention tool. This bill increases student loan forgiveness programs for those who work in positions of national security and offers fellowships for existing federal employees and those who commit to serve in federal national security positions. The legislation establishes a separate fund to be administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to repay student loans for employees in national security positions who pledge to serve in the government for a minimum of three years.
Current employees would also benefit under the legislation. Twenty percent of fellowship slots would be reserved for federal employees to enhance their education and training. In addition, more training opportunities would be provided to current federal employees through the National Security Service Corps. The bill would also offer a rotational assignment program for mid-level federal employees and provides training and professional development opportunities.
"We must make certain that those entering federal service have the needed skills and that our existing workforce has the opportunity to acquire specialized training," Akaka added. "We should not ignore the talented people whose expertise and talents guide agencies daily in meeting their missions.
"We must provide necessary resources to agencies specifically for the hiring and retention of the best and brightest in government service in critical national security positions. I am committed to strengthening our federal workforce and ensuring that the nation's students and their teachers have the tools to be well-educated in the critical sciences and languages."
