Government affairs

Today, Reps. Jody Hice (R-GA), Paul Mitchell (R-MI), and House Oversight and Government Reform Government (OGR) Operations Subcommittee Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC) introduced the Reforming Government Act of 2018 (H.R.6787). The bill is similar to the Senate measure (S.3137) introduced in June by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI).

Both bills would give the President and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) increased authority to reorganize the government, including consolidating, transferring, creating or outright abolishing agencies altogether. According to the legislation, any plans would need to be approved by Congress within 90 days, or they will not advance.

Back in June, OMB released its government reorganization and restructure plan titled “Delivery Government Solutions in the 21st Century." Along other ill-conceived moves to “reorganize” the federal government, it calls for the potential privatization of the U.S. Postal Service.

A growing number of lawmakers oppose these government reorganization plans and have taken measures to impede the Administration’s ability to progress. The House and Senate committees on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), which would have jurisdiction over the OMB reorganization plan, have included language in their fiscal year (FY) 2019 appropriations bills, which would prevent agencies from increasing, eliminating, or reducing funding for programs, projects, or activities, without congressional approval first.

Whether the bills have a chance at passage is still unclear, however the Senate bill is scheduled for a markup on Wednesday, September 26 in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) Committee.

NALC opposes this broad increase in powers to the Executive Branch as it would only ease the means by which to privatize the U.S. Postal Service, reform otherwise independent federal establishments, or even eliminate agencies that do not conform to an Administration’s desires of the day.