New Leaders' Decisions Could Significantly Affect the Government Workforce

Aides have been working on areas of jurisdiction, but one said the federal workforce subcommittee would likely oversee the implementation of pay-for-performance systems at the Defense and Homeland Security departments, while the government management subcommittee would track the president's policy initiatives, such as outsourcing, e-gov and other parts of the presidential management agenda.

House Democratic leaders have made some committee assignments.

Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) will take the seat on the House Appropriations Committee being vacated by Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), the new House majority leader. Hoyer has played the leading role in efforts to raise federal salaries, and an aide to Ruppersberger said his boss will also seek to improve federal pay and benefits.

Ruppersberger's district expects to pick up 60,000 new jobs as part of the military's Base Realignment and Closure process, primarily at Fort Meade and the Aberdeen Proving Ground. He also represents employees who work at the National Security Agency and at the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), an advocate for federal employees, is joining the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, Social Security, Medicare and trade issues.

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association hopes that the Ways and Means Committee, which will be chaired by Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.), will show more interest in modifying laws that frustrate many federal retirees, such as the offset and windfall elimination provisions in Social Security law. Federal retirees also are campaigning for statutory changes that would permit them to pay their health insurance premiums with pre-tax annuities, similar to the tax break provided federal employees.

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.) will be chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which oversees federal employee issues. An agenda has not been set, but some aides expect the committee will pay close attention to contracting problems, including instances of waste and fraud at the Defense and Homeland Security departments.

Lieberman will be joined by senators with a strong interest in federal employee issues, including Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) and John W. Warner (R-Va.). Akaka plans to review the federal employees health insurance program and how it sets premiums, an aide said.

Stephen Barr's e-mail address isbarrs@washpost.com.