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Washington, D.C.—As the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) concluded a highly-successful and effective legislative conference, NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley encouraged union members from around the country to build on the momentum of their Capitol Hill visits as the key to continued progress on issues of importance not just to the federal workforce but to the nation as well.

Speaking at the closing session of the union’s annual three-day legislative conference, Kelley told the NTEU activists that “yours is the relationship that makes a difference” with members of the House and Senate. “When we take the time to educate, we find people are supportive of what is right,” she said. “We have supporters everywhere (in elected office) because we have the facts that are going to make the country better.”

In addition to face-to-face meetings with House and Senate members and, in some cases, their key staff members, delegates rallied at the U.S. Capitol to show their opposition to administration plans to increase the number of federal jobs contracted to the private sector.

President Kelley was joined at the conference’s closing luncheon by newly elected House Democratic Whip Nancy Pelosi (CA), the highest-ranking woman in a party leadership position in the history of the country.

Rep. Pelosi said that when she and other congressional leaders met with President Bush to discuss the administration’s agenda, she believed her attendance at that White House meeting represented the presence of

“every woman who ever wanted a seat at the table.” Of course, she added, “we want more women at the table” where key decisions are made.

Rep. Pelosi also addressed issues of importance to NTEU conference participants, including contracting out, fair pay and benefits, civilian-military pay parity, greater efforts at retaining experienced and skilled federal workers, the need for adequate agency funding and resources, and more. These are all issues NTEU members raised in their Capitol Hill visits and will continue to raise with their senators and representatives.

“We need an agenda in Washington that takes care of the people who take care of America,” Rep. Pelosi said, adding that “part of building a better future is respect for the people who operate our government.”

President Kelley said she was particularly pleased that during their House and Senate visits, NTEU members from a variety of agencies not only discussed the issues with elected officials who have been supportive of federal employees in the past, but reached out to members of Congress who have not been willing either to advance or support federal employee issues.

“It is important that we work not only to strengthen our existing relationships,” the NTEU leader said, “but that we that we continue to forge new relationships and expand the dialogue with as many federal officeholders as possible.”

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing some 150,000 employees in 25 agencies and departments.