[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E616-E617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  THE GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD GOVERNMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 24, 2002

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the ``Good 
People, Good Government Act.'' This legislation is the first step in 
addressing the pressing human capital needs of the federal government. 
The human capital issue, first deemed the ``quiet crisis'' twelve years 
ago by the Volcker Commission, has now become the central concern for 
federal agencies.
  More than half--53 percent--of the federal workforce will be eligible 
to retire in the next five years. This includes 71 percent of the 
government's senior managers--those specialists and supervisors who 
ensure that government accomplishes its critical missions on behalf of 
the nation.
  These talented people provide a myriad of services, including 
protecting the air we breathe, the food we eat, and our shores against 
terrorism.
  It is our duty in Congress to ensure that we have qualified people 
ready to take their place once they begin to retire while also 
retaining the people we currently have to ensure that there is no 
significant decline in the quality of service that our federal 
government provides.
  Right now, we have an opportunity to do exactly that.
  After September 11, the American people learned the essential role 
that civil servants play in all our lives.
  There was a collective understanding that a nation is only as strong 
as the people who serve it and that ``the bureaucrats in Washington, 
DC'' are working for us, not despite us.
  This renewed pride in public service translated to a renewed interest 
in seeking employment with the federal government.
  We, in Congress, must capitalize on this interest. My legislation 
attempts to do just that.
  The first title of the bill would establish a Chief Human Capital 
Officer (CHCO) in each executive agency and strengthens the authority 
and credibility of federal human resources directors. The structure of 
the position would be similar to that of the Chief Financial Officer

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(CFO) or Chief Information Officer (CIO) established in the 1990s.
  For years, human resources bureaus and directors have not been given 
the authority or respect needed to provide federal employees with the 
tools and empowerment they need. This new office in the federal 
government's largest agencies will help address this problem. In each 
agency, the CHCO would be authorized to: (1) set the agency's workforce 
development strategy; (2) assess current workforce characteristics and 
future needs based on the strategic plan and mission; (3) align human 
resources policies with organization mission, strategic goals and 
performance outcomes, (4) develop and champion a culture of continuous 
learning to attract and retain top talent; (5) identify best practices 
and benchmarking studies; and, (6) create systems for measuring 
intellectual capital and identifying its links to organizational 
performance and growth.
  In addition, this section of the bill would also give congressional 
support to the establishment of a Chief Human Capital Officers Council, 
similar to the CFO and CIO Councils. The Council would meet 
periodically to advise and coordinate the activities of agencies on a 
variety of human capital issues, such as: modernization of human 
resources systems; improved quality of human resources information; and 
legislation affecting human resources operations and organizations.
  The second section of the bill focuses on employee training, 
recruitment, and retention.
  This section would make several changes to enhance the institutional 
manner in which employees are trained and recruited in the federal 
government. Many of these responsibilities would fall under the purview 
of the Chief Human Capital Officer described above.
  It would require agencies to link training and recruiting activities 
with performance plans and strategic goals. Agencies should clearly 
articulate how their training and recruiting helps to accomplish the 
agency's mission.
  This section would also require agencies to maintain detailed records 
of their training and recruitment activities, as agencies cannot 
adequately plan future activities if they have no reliable records of 
past actions.
  This section also includes a measure to help federal agencies retain 
workers by increasing the government contribution for Federal employee 
health insurance. If the Federal Government cannot match the salaries 
of the private sector, it can at least attempt to match or upgrade the 
benefits available to civil servants.
  This legislation should be the first step of this Congress in 
recognizing that our human capital is essential to the proper 
functioning of this government.
  We must translate this into a policy that recognizes the primacy of 
people in running an effective, efficient organization.
  And we must act quickly because a great nation cannot rely on 
national emergencies to fill the ranks of its civil service.
  Things will--as they must--eventually return to something like 
normal. The flood of resumes will slow to a trickle. Some of the 
idealistic new recruits will leave before the year is out, 
disillusioned by the reality of government service. Some longer-term 
employees will also leave, out of frustration or because they finally 
got one too many better offers.
  Without a concerted effort to recruit talent, and a serious look at 
how to make the federal government a better place to work, government 
will be left with two equally unpalatable choices: Replace the retirees 
with less competent workers, or don't replace them at all. This country 
can't afford to do either.
  Our civil service is the reason that America is the greatest nation 
in the world today but that could change if we do not do something 
about the recruitment and retention crisis that faces it. Fortunately, 
people have realized what our federal government can do and how 
rewarding public service can be.
  It is our job to follow-up.

                          ____________________