AFGE Local 918 welcomes inquires from television and print
news media organizations and reporters.

Please direct all press inquiries to:
David Wright, President
Tel: (816) 291-0984
Fax: (816) 629-4462
e-mail: david.wright@afgelocal918.org
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Also check out
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information and
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Copyright 2011: American Federation of Government Employees Local 918.   All rights reserved.
LATEST HEADLINES
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
LOCAL 918-NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS DIRECTORATE
Representing NPPD Employees Nationwide
                                          July 12, 2011
Subcommittee Hearing: Securing Federal
Facilities: Challenges of the Federal Protective
Service and the Need for Reform

Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and
Security Technologies  311 Cannon House Office Building Washington,
D.C. 20515  July 13, 2011 10:00am.  On Wednesday July 13, 2011 the
Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Cybersecurity,
Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies will hold a hearing
entitled "Securing Federal Facilities: Challenges of the Federal
Protective Service and the Need for Reform."  The Subcommittee will
meet at 10:00 a.m. in 311 Cannon House Office Building.  

Hearing Video link.
July 13, 2011                                 
                              
FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE UNION CALLS
FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION TO REFORM FPS

Union Releases “Federal Building In-Security: A Chronicle of
Government Inaction”

WASHINGTON—At a congressional hearing in Washington,
the American Federation of Government Employees’ (AFGE)
Federal Protective Service (FPS) union lambasted the
government’s failure to reform FPS and called on Congress to
enact pending legislation to improve security at federal
buildings.


In a report released at the hearing, FPS union President David
Wright noted the overwhelming evidence, Government
Accountability Office (GAO) reports, congressional hearings,
and numerous attacks on federal facilities that demonstrate
the urgent need for reform.

Since 2003, GAO issued a total of 17 reports, testimonies and
briefings critical of the chronic performance and work force
management issues at FPS. Congressional committees have
held eight hearings and one briefing related to the same
issues. During the past three years there were at least 12
documented violent attacks targeted at federal buildings.

These are some of the startling facts included in the
“Chronicle of Government Inaction” produced by the FPS
union, which represents agency employees. The analysis was
released today during a House Homeland Security
Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security
Technologies Subcommittee hearing.

“This report and my testimony today paint a devastating picture
of an agency seeing great congressional oversight and almost
no action” said Wright. “FPS is an underfunded, poorly
managed agency with the critical mission of protecting federal
buildings and their occupants and visitors,” Wright added.
“While there have been improvements with the move to
National Protection and Programs Directorate, this situation
must not be allowed to continue.”

Wright urged the subcommittee and the full House Homeland
Security Committee to follow the Senate’s lead and take up
legislation making desperately needed reforms to FPS. “FPS
needs more law enforcement personnel to patrol federal
buildings, more people to oversee the contract guard work
force and more people to prevent terrorist and criminal
incidents occurring in and around federal buildings. The
Senate bill is a great beginning but the House can push it past
the finish line this year,” Wright concluded.

                                                  ###

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the
largest federal employee union, representing 625,000 workers in the
federal government and the government of the District of Columbia