The federal government’s important human resources agency will finally have a director after going without one for more than a year.
The Senate has confirmed Kiran Ahuja as the new director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The vote was along party lines, prompting Vice President Kamala Harris to cast a tiebreaking vote to confirm Ahuja.
The OPM director position is extremely important because the agency provides leadership on personnel issues that affect 2.1 million federal workers. OPM’s mission is therefore fundamentally important to the successful functioning of the entire federal government.
With the longest government shutdown in history, consistent budget cuts and understaffing, the most vicious attacks in history against the federal workforce and agency missions under the previous administration – not to mention the COVID-19 pandemic during which front-line federal workers were often left without support – the civil service is recovering from its lowest point.
The federal government needs to turn things around fast if it is to continue the vital work of serving and protecting the American people. OPM will have a big role in that turnaround. That’s why AFGE has voiced our support for the new OPM director and is delighted that she has been confirmed by the Senate.
“Having served as the chief of staff at OPM, Ms. Ahuja has a great depth of knowledge of the agency’s operations, and of its challenges,” said our union in a letter urging the Senate to confirm her nomination. “As OPM’s next director, she will take over an agency whose employees have been demoralized by constant attacks.”
“The Director of OPM must embrace the charge of administering the federal merit system and ensuring the federal workforce is completely free from politicization. Ensuring that OPM’s full statutory functions are fully operational will have broad implications for a well-run federal government.”
AFGE stands ready to be OPM’s labor partner and to support federal workers so that they can accomplish their agency goals and serve the American people.
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