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Washington, D.C.—House and Senate conferees have produced a fiscal 2010 omnibus appropriations measure that wisely extends a moratorium on new public-private competitions for federal work, denies funding for government use of private tax debt collectors and provides critical resources for key agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the leader of the nation’s largest independent union of federal employees said today.

The omnibus funds agencies covered by six of seven unfinished appropriations bills; the House is expected to take up the measure this week and the Senate next week, before the current continuing resolution funding government operations expires.

“This omnibus bill includes language and resources that will help federal agencies in delivering for America’s taxpayers,” said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).

It contains two important provisions sought by NTEU impacting federal contracting. One continues for another year the government-wide ban on new public-private job competitions; the other requires federal agencies to create an annual inventory of their service contracts so that they may determine whether work currently being done by private contractors should be brought back into the hands of federal employees.

“I am particularly pleased to see continuing congressional attention to the issue of who does the work of the federal government,” President Kelley said. “As I have said repeatedly, when provided with adequate resources and appropriate training, no one can perform the work of the federal government as well as dedicated and accountable federal employees.”

On the matter of the IRS’s use of private tax debt collectors, the NTEU leader noted the agency earlier this year dropped the program after NTEU’s long opposition to it; however, because the IRS retains the statutory authority to revive the program, if it chooses, the funding prohibition is needed to ensure that tax collection is kept in the hands of IRS employees.

As to IRS funding, President Kelley applauded the decision of the conferees to provide the IRS with the $12.1 billion for fiscal 2010 sought by the White House. This is an increase of about $600 million from the previous year. “NTEU believes this critical funding will allow the IRS to continue providing taxpayers with top-quality service, and will assist efforts to enhance taxpayer compliance,” President Kelley said.

Kelley said she also is pleased to see funding allocations over fiscal 2009 levels for a number of other NTEU-represented agencies, including the Financial Management Service, Social Security Administration, Patent and Trademark Office and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Under the measure, the SEC would receive an additional $85 million beyond the president’s request, which itself was a boost from the previous year. “This is much-needed funding for the SEC that will allow the agency to hire additional staff as it continues to play a key role in financial regulation,” said President Kelley.

As the largest independent federal union, NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.