Political Quotes

“In pursuing the policy of requiring our Federal employees to work in our Federal offices, I have always been cognizant of the outlier situations whereby someone will need to work remotely. I am not opposed to such flexibility, although that flexibility has now become the rule. I have left untouched the ad hoc telework programs for these various agencies because we never know when an emergency or unexpected situation will arise. Such an unexpected situation, however, should not become the norm, and our employees should be required to report to work. We still have not yet assessed the damage the Federal Government's remote work policy has had on constituent services, congressional oversight, and Federal waste in terms of the unused office buildings and agency officials unaccounted for because they are not being monitored in their official work sites. Even the GAO admits there is not enough information to assess the long-term impacts of remote work policies, including whether it promotes a productive work environment. Mr. Chairman, the policy of this Republican majority has consistently been that COVID is over and Federal workers must come to work, and this amendment aims to deliver on that promise. Unelected agency officials already believe they are unaccountable to Congress and the American people.…”