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Washington, D.C.-The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), one of the first major labor unions to endorse Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman's initial bid for the Senate, today strongly endorsed his selection to be presidential candidate Al Gore's vice presidential running mate.

NTEU National President Colleen M. Kelley said Senator Lieberman, who is currently the ranking Democrat on the Senate Government Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over issues affecting the federal workforce, is well known for his efforts in the Senate to reform the Hatch Act. Before reforms in 1993, the Hatch Act severely limited federal employee involvement in the political process for more than five decades.

Kelley said that Senator Lieberman has solid credentials on issues important to working families across America, and solid credentials on issues important to federal employees.

"Senator Lieberman has been a friend and a consistent advocate of federal employees. From his earliest days in the Senate when he led the fight to restore the political rights long denied federal workers to his most recent efforts to make long-term insurance more affordable for federal employees, Joe Lieberman has been there for us, and we are there for him now and we will be there in November," said Kelley.

Kelley said more recently Lieberman has been at the forefront of the push to implement workplace ergonomic standards, which Republicans have been preventing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from moving forward on.

Lieberman has also been a staunch opponent of the wholesale contracting out of the jobs of federal employees. He is backing a bill that would require agencies to report on contracting efforts each year, as well as comparing the cost of having the same work done by federal employees. Lieberman also supports a measure that calls for the blocking of federal contracts to companies found to violate certain labor and safety laws.

"The record of Joe Lieberman on issues important to federal employees is a strong one. Moreover, he had demonstrated a thorough understanding of our issues. He genuinely appreciates the work done by federal workers. And most of all, he respects public service and respects the men and women who work on behalf of our nation," said Kelley.

"In turn, Joe Lieberman has earned our respect and support," said Kelley.