From our Congressional Delegation: Kilmer Joins Bipartisan Letter to President Trump Asking for Clarification on Whether Federal Hiring Freeze Impacts Seasonal Firefighters

Washington D.C. – This week, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) joined other members of the House in a bipartisan call for President Trump’s administration to answer whether the federal hiring freeze impacts seasonal firefighters. In a letter to the Office of Personnel Management the members requested clarity on whether the freeze prevents the U.S. Forest Service from hiring seasonal firefighters for wildfire season.

“As members of Congress who represent states impacted annually by wildfires, we are concerned this hiring freeze may prohibit the U.S. Forest Service from hiring seasonal firefighters and other professionals in anticipation of wildfire season,” the members wrote in the letter. “An inability to hire seasonal firefighters to combat wildfires seriously threatens public safety in our states.”  

According to the National Federation of Federal Employees, the Forest Service hired at least 6,200 seasonal workers for firefighting or firefighting-related duties in 2015. These seasonal firefighters supplement state and local firefighters’ efforts to prepare for wildfire season and contain wildfires as they emerge. In order to ensure they are trained and ready for wildfire season, the Forest Service’s hiring process traditionally begins over the next several weeks with a series of job fairs in wildfire-prone states.
Source: http://kilmer.house.gov/news/press-releases/kilmer-joins-bipartisan-letter-to-president-trump-asking-for-clarification-on-whether-federal-hiring-freeze-impacts-seasonal-firefighters_-

Kilmer Calls on House Veterans Committee to Investigate Failure of Bremerton VA Outpatient Clinic to Open on Time
Washington D.C. – U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) called for the House Committee on Veterans Affairs to investigate the failure of Bremerton’s VA outpatient clinic to open in a timely manner. In a letter to Chairman Phil Roe (R-TN) and Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN), Kilmer urged the committee to look at the VA’s ability to construct Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and whether other sites like Bremerton have experienced problems.
Kilmer pointed out in his letter that the VA continued to announce delays for the date the Bremerton project would be completed before ultimately terminating its contract. The VA’s actions will further delay the opening of any CBOC in the Bremerton area for another 18 months. Kilmer believes that attention from the committee might expedite the project.
“We need to get this moving. Veterans need the care they’ve earned,” said Kilmer.
Kilmer wrote in the letter: “I am greatly disappointed in the VA’s leadership and their inability to complete this project despite my continued engagement. This is especially concerning given the Committee’s actions throughout the 114th Congress, addressing the VA’s capacity and capability to address construction requirements at the VA Medical Facility in Colorado in particular. Because of the problems faced with the CBOC Bremerton and others across the nation I believe further investigation is needed. I’m encouraging you to look into the VA’s ability to follow through with outfitting and constructing CBOCs, and the Bremerton CBOC in particular.”
Source: http://kilmer.house.gov/news/press-releases/kilmer-calls-on-house-veterans-committee-to-investigate-failure-of-bremerton-va-outpatient-clinic-to-open-on-time_

Schatz, Kilmer Lead Bicameral Legislation to Exempt Navy Shipyards from Federal Hiring Freeze
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) introduced legislation that would exempt employees of Navy public shipyards and other employees that directly support the shipyards from President Trump’s federal hiring freeze. Original cosponsors of the Senate bill include U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)

The Trump administration’s blanket hiring freeze is already impacting Navy shipyards, including the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. The freeze prevents shipyards across the country from hiring engineers, acquisition workforce personnel, trade mechanics, radiological and emergency personnel, regulatory compliance and other support personnel that are necessary to maintaining the Navy’s surface and submarine fleets.

“The men and women at our public shipyards work to keep the Navy’s fleets at sea and keep America safe,” said Senator Schatz. “Our shipyards already face workforce shortages and this hiring freeze will only worsen their ability to get our ships and submarines back out on deployment. Our bill will help reverse this and give Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and shipyards across the country the freedom to hire the people they need to support the Navy and its mission.”
Source: http://kilmer.house.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-kilmer-lead-bicameral-legislation-to-exempt-navy-shipyards-from-federal-hiring-freeze-

In other news from our congressional delegation to Washington DC (click here)