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Washington, D.C.—Hundreds of National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) members from around the country will meet with their members of Congress about critical issues facing the federal workforce during NTEU’s 2015 Legislative Conference, which began today.

The theme of the four-day conference—“Building A Stronger America”—is embodied in NTEU’s priorities for this year:

• Adequate agency funding and stopping sequestration

• Fair federal pay

• Protecting federal employee retirement

• Customs and Border Protection staffing and funding

• Employee rights in the federal workplace

The keynote speaker, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, underscored the challenges federal employees face in the new Congress and vowed to protect their interests. Many in Congress believe government is the problem, she told the delegates.

“I could not disagree more with that kind of perspective,” Hirono said. “My perspective is the government is part of the solution. It is not the answer to all of our problems. Nobody says that that’s government’s role. I see government as a force for good.”

Hirono reassured NTEU members, including Customs and Border Protection employees, that she is working to provide full-year funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Hawaii has the third-largest number of federal government employees among U.S. states.

NTEU National President Colleen M. Kelley thanked the delegates for the important work they do for the nation.

“One of the greatest resources this country has is our talented and experienced civil service. Your work makes this country great and we need to be sure you have the tools and resources—and support—to carry out your work,” Kelley said during her opening-day address.

She went on to discuss NTEU’s 2015 legislative priorities.

The Budget Control Act of 2011 capped federal spending and imposed sequestration, which mandated automatic, across-the-board budget cuts totaling $1.2 trillion between 2013 and 2021. Sequestration has led to furloughs, hiring freezes, a drastic scaling back of employee training and has shackled agencies in myriad other ways. The cuts, which first took effect in fiscal year (FY) 2013, were amended in 2014 and 2015 but they are poised to return in FY 2016.

“If Congress does not adequately fund our agencies, we will fail in our efforts to deliver on our missions. Period,” Kelley said.

While all agencies are under financial pressure, the NTEU leader noted that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is especially imperiled. Though it collects 93 percent of the federal government’s revenue, the IRS has suffered five consecutive years of budget cuts—totaling $1.2 billion—and is on pace to lose 16,000-17,000 employees over a five-year-period by the time FY 2015 draws to a close, Kelley said.

“The roof is caving in at the IRS,” she warned. “Only 43 percent of taxpayer calls will be answered this filing season and wait times will stretch to a half an hour or more. It is shameful.”

The federal workforce has received a cumulative 2 percent raise in the past five years, lagging behind the 8.3 percent increase for private-sector employees in that same period. NTEU members will seek support on Capitol Hill for S.164 and H.R. 304, the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, which would give federal workers a 3.8 percent pay raise for calendar year 2016.

As some in Congress consider targeting federal retirement programs for cuts, Kelley reminded attendees that the federal workforce has already contributed $159 billion to deficit reduction through pay freezes, reduced pay and increased retirement contributions.

Kelley urged NTEU members to hold Congress accountable on issues important to the federal workforce including pay, retirement and adequate funding.

“We will not let Congress make decisions without hearing from us. This Legislative Conference is a call to action, to motivate us to get involved, and to get others involved, to amplify the voice of America’s workforce,” Kelley said.

NTEU is the nation’s largest independent federal union, representing 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.