Letter from IFPTE to NASA Office of Legislative Affairs Regarding Workforce Strategy Document

Mr. Brian Chase
Associate Administrator, Legislative Affairs
NASA 300 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20546

Dear Mr. Chase:

The head of the NASA Council of IFPTE Locals (NCIL), Dr. Wesley Darbro, has informed me that he has not yet received a copy of the final Workforce Strategy or of NASA management’s response to the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE) comments submitted on March 9, 2006. He was informed that this delay was due to the fact that the Workforce Strategy document is held up in NASA’s Legislative Affairs office.

As you know, both of these documents were due on Monday, April 10th as per the requirements of the NASA Authorization Act of 2005. Obviously, IFPTE is anxious to see the final Workforce Strategy document and are concerned that any further delay could hinder our ability to adequately represent the interests of our members before Congress on this important issue. Having said that, I would like to formally request a timeline from your office as to exactly when IFPTE and Congress can expect NASA to complete its work and to release the final documents.

Along these lines, your office has yet to respond to numerous questions submitted by members of Congress associated with a House Science Committee hearing many months ago. When can we anticipate your office providing Congress with a reply to these important questions (IFPTE can forward you a detailed list of the congressional queries if need be)?

Although we recognize and appreciate that NASA business is complex and requires thoughtful analysis prior to issuing final documents, it would seem that your office is establishing a troubling pattern of disregard for the legal deadlines imposed by Congress and for their legitimate queries necessary for performing their proper oversight. As you can imagine, much of the work performed at IFPTE with respect to our representational duties for our NASA membership is contingent on the timely release of information by NASA called for not only by the law, but also by Congress itself. Therefore, IFPTE remains hopeful that in the future we can count on a more timely completion of your legal responsibilities and a greater sense of urgency when responding to congressional queries.

Thank you in advance for your timely response. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact me directly at (301) 565-9016.

Sincerely,

Matthew S. Biggs,
Assistant to the President/ Legislative and Political Director

cc: Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, House Science Committee
Ranking Member Bart Gordon, House Science Committee
Chairman Ted Stevens, Senate Committee on Commerce
Ranking Senator Daniel Inouye, Senate Committee on Commerce