Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1531, introduced by our colleague from Virginia (Mr. Connolly). The Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act allows certain temporary workers to compete for full-time positions when vacancies arise. Many of the Federal Government's firefighters work on a temporary basis and gain valuable experience as they return year after year to battle Western wildfires. Current law prevents these experienced employees from competing for full-time jobs under internal merit promotion procedures. This commonsense bill will allow Federal land agencies to fully consider the applications of experienced workers when they identify the need for a full-time employee. Covered agencies include the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Reclamation. The bill does not change the total number of Federal jobs available or the salaries paid to Federal employees; rather, it expands the pool of individuals eligible for Federal land management positions. Of course, the bill does impose a few conditions to be eligible to compete for a full-time position, including length of service and adherence to performance standards. I urge support for this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.”