AFGE COMMENDS PASSAGE OF THE SARBANES AMENDMENT TO FY 2011 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

(WASHINGTON) – The American Federation of Government Employees, today, thanks Representatives John Sarbanes (D-MD), Ike Skelton (D-MO), Rob Andrews (D-NJ) and Stephen Lynch (D-MA) for their leadership on the passage of the Sarbanes Amendment to the FY 2011 National Defense Authorization Act.
“This has been a great victory and would be a huge step toward rebalancing the chasm between the number of government contractors and federal employees and we thank Representatives Sarbanes, Skelton, Andrews and Lynch for their roles in seeing this legislation through the process,” said AFGE National President John Gage.
The Sarbanes Amendment would require agencies to inventory their service contracts to determine which ones are poorly performed or include functions that are too important or sensitive to outsource, ensure that work cannot be given by non-DoD agencies to contractors without first conducting cost comparisons, task agencies with developing guidance so that they can at least consider bringing back in-house work performed under contracts that are poorly performed or include functions that should be reserved for federal employee performance.
“For years, public services have been unwisely contracted out by government agencies, eroding the effectiveness of government operation and agency missions,” concluded Gage. “The Sarbanes Amendment would go a long way in restoring control over these important and sensitive functions.”

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The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.