Dear
HHS Colleagues,
As
we approach the end of the year, our thoughts rightfully turn to gratitude for
family, friends, and colleagues. I am tremendously grateful for the work
you have done this year to advance the health and well being of the American
people. But while I would much prefer to be writing you to celebrate our
many accomplishments at this point in December, we instead must once again
discuss and prepare for the possible shutdown of many departmental operations
due to a potential interruption in our funding.
While
Congress continues to consider an omnibus appropriations bill and extensions to
the payroll tax cut and Unemployment Insurance benefits, there is no guarantee
that they will finish their work before our current appropriation expires on
Friday at midnight. The President has made clear that he does not want a
government shutdown. The President has also urged the Members of Congress
to complete the work they were elected to do and has made clear that there is
no excuse for Congress to leave on vacation before all of its work is
complete. Given the realities of the calendar, however, prudent
management requires that we plan for an orderly shutdown should Congress fail
to complete its work or to pass another short-term continuing resolution that
would give it more time to take up these important matters.
Both
the President and I know that the uncertainty of the current situation puts
federal employees in a difficult position, and we are very much aware that a
shutdown would impose hardships on many employees as well as the groups and
individuals our agency serves. As we approach the expiration of the
current appropriation, our leadership team will provide you with
updated information as soon as it becomes available. For now, I want to
provide you with information on how the potential funding lapse – should it
occur – would impact HHS employees – other than those at FDA, which has already
received its FY2012 annual appropriation.
If
funding lapses, the affected Federal departments and agencies would not be
permitted to incur further financial obligations for activities funded by
annual appropriations, except those related to the orderly suspension of
operations or performance of excepted activities. This means that some
employees would be furloughed and unable to work. Our contingency
planning for the potential funding lapse includes determining which agency
functions and employees are excepted from a furlough. Should it become
necessary to implement our contingency plans, non-FDA employees of HHS will
receive informal notice from your manager no later than Friday, December 16 and
formal notice no later than Monday, December 19 regarding the designation of your
position and furlough status.
For
our FDA team, although our Fiscal Year 2012 appropriation means we do not face
a risk of shutdown, a funding lapse that would affect other agencies may have
some limited implications for FDA’s operations that we are working with FDA to
evaluate at this time. As the week progresses and we learn more
information regarding such implications, we will share it with FDA employees
and initiate any contingency plans that are needed. We expect that,
except in very limited circumstances, FDA staff will continue to work on a
normal work schedule regardless of the status of other Federal agencies.
The
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website, www.opm.gov/furlough2011, addresses some of the
questions that I know must be on your mind. As needed, OPM will provide
additional pertinent information for federal employees as the week
progresses. And our leadership team will do our very best to
provide clear information about the status of events as the week progresses.
Thanks
to the hard work and dedication of all of you, HHS provides critical services
to the American public. Your contributions touch people’s lives in so
many significant ways, and I want you to know how deeply I appreciate your
dedication and your expertise.
Your
patience and continued support are greatly appreciated. Thank you for
your continued service to the Department and the Nation.
Kathleen
Sebelius
Secretary
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