HR 2283 — DHS MORALE Act

Summary

Department of Homeland Security Morale, Recognition, Learning and Engagement Act of 2017 or the DHS MORALE Act (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Chief Human Capital Officer of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (the chief) to: develop and implement strategic workforce planning policies with respect to leader development and employee engagement; develop and implement policies that are informed by employee feedback; require that the career path framework and leader development opportunities are informed by an assessment of the learning and developmental needs of employees across DHS and appropriate workforce planning initiatives; maintain a catalogue of available employee development opportunities, departmental leadership development programs, interagency development programs, and other rotational programs; and ensure that employee discipline and adverse action programs comply with all pertinent laws, regulations, and federal guidance and ensure due process. The chief may designate a DHS employee to serve as Chief Learning and Engagement Officer. DHS's report to Congress on fulfilling its workforce strategies shall include information on: (1) employee development opportunities, participation and attrition rates, and impacts on retention and employee satisfaction; (2) progress of strategic workforce planning efforts; and (3) activities of the employee engagement steering committee. (Sec. 3) The bill establishes an employee engagement steering committee, including representatives from operational components, headquarters, field personnel, and employee labor organizations, to: identify factors that have a negative impact on employee engagement, morale, and communications within DHS; identify, develop, and distribute initiatives and best practices to improve employee engagement, morale, and communications within DHS; monitor efforts of each DHS component to address employee engagement, morale, and communications based on employee feedback provided through annual employee surveys, questionnaires, and other communications; advise DHS on efforts to improve employee engagement, morale, and communications within specific DHS components and across DHS; and conduct regular meetings and report, at least quarterly, to the Under Secretary for Management, the head of each component, and the DHS Secretary on DHS-wide efforts to improve employee engagement, morale, and communications. The chief shall: (1) issue a DHS-wide employee engagement action plan to execute strategies to improve employee engagement, morale, and communications within DHS; and (2) require each component to develop and implement a component-specific plan to advance such action plan, monitor progress, and provide quarterly reports on progress. The preceding provisions terminate five years after enactment. (Sec. 4) DHS may establish an annual employee award program to recognize DHS employees for significant contributions to the achievement of its goals and missions. (Sec. 5) The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall utilize a report by the Inspector General General of DHS, if available, and investigate whether the application of discipline and adverse actions are administered in an equitable and consistent manner that results in the same or substantially similar disciplinary outcomes across DHS for misconduct by a non-supervisory or a supervisor employee. DHS's Under Secretary for Management shall: (1) review the findings and recommendations of such investigation and implement a plan to correct any relevant deficiencies identified by the GAO, and (2) direct the steering committee to review such plan to inform committee activities and action plans authorized under this bill.

Bill Text

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill expands the responsibilities of the Chief Human Capital Officer and establishes new employee engagement initiatives within the Department of Homeland Security.

• 6 U.S.C. 344

  and in line → , in line

  Clarifies the language regarding strategic workforce planning policies.

• 6 U.S.C. 344

  develop performance measures to provide a basis for monitoring and evaluating → evaluate, on an ongoing basis,

  Simplifies the language for performance evaluation responsibilities.

• 6 U.S.C. 344

  and in line → , including with respect to leader development and employee engagement,

  Broadens the scope of strategic workforce planning policies to include employee engagement.

• 6 U.S.C. 344

  that, to the extent practicable, are informed by employee feedback, → that are informed by employee feedback,

  Ensures the policies developed are informed by employee feedback.

• 6 U.S.C. 344

  identify methods for managing and overseeing human capital programs and initiatives, → including leader development and employee engagement programs, in coordination with the head of each component of the Department;

  Specifies inclusion of leader development and employee engagement in management methods.

• 6 U.S.C. 344

  develop, improve, and implement policies that, to the extent practicable, are informed by employee feedback, including compensation flexibilities available to Federal agencies where appropriate, → develop, improve, and implement policies that are informed by employee feedback, including compensation flexibilities available to Federal agencies where appropriate,

  Makes the language consistent in referencing employee feedback.

• 6 U.S.C. 344

  maintain a catalogue of available employee development opportunities, including the Homeland Security Rotation Program pursuant to section 414 of this title, → maintain a catalogue of available employee development opportunities, including the Homeland Security Rotation Program pursuant to section 844, departmental leadership development programs, interagency development programs, and other rotational programs;

  Updates the reference to section 844 and expands the catalogue to include more development opportunities.

• 6 U.S.C. 344

  the activities of the steering committee established pursuant to section 351(a) of this title, including the number of meetings, types of materials developed and distributed, and recommendations made to the Secretary; → the activities of the steering committee established pursuant to section 710(a), including the number of meetings, types of materials developed and distributed, and recommendations made to the Secretary;

  Corrects the reference from section 351(a) to the newly added section 710(a) related to employee engagement.

• 6 U.S.C. 341

  SEC. 710. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT.

  Establishes a new section dedicated to employee engagement within the Department.

• 6 U.S.C. 341

  The Secretary shall establish an employee engagement steering committee, including representatives from operational components, headquarters, and field personnel, including supervisory and non-supervisory personnel, and employee labor organizations that represent Department employees.

  Creates a new steering committee to focus on factors affecting employee engagement and morale.

• 6 U.S.C. 341

  The Secretary, acting through the Chief Human Capital Officer, shall issue a Department-wide employee engagement action plan.

  Mandates the creation of an action plan to improve employee engagement.

• 6 U.S.C. 341

  The Secretary may establish an annual employee award program to recognize Department employees or groups of employees for significant contributions to the achievement of the Department's goals and missions.

  Authorizes the creation of an employee award program to enhance recognition and morale.

Action History

1. June 21, 2017

   Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

2. June 20, 2017

   Mr. Rutherford moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

3. June 20, 2017

   Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4980-4982)

4. June 20, 2017

   DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2283.

5. June 20, 2017

   Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H4980-4981)

6. June 20, 2017

   On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4980-4981)

7. June 20, 2017

   Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

8. May 03, 2017

   Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

9. May 03, 2017

   Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

10. May 02, 2017

    Introduced in House

11. May 02, 2017

    Introduced in House

12. May 02, 2017

    Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Sponsors

• Sheila Jackson Lee · Cosponsor
• James R. Langevin · Cosponsor
• Cedric L. Richmond · Cosponsor
• William R. Keating · Cosponsor
• Donald M. Payne · Cosponsor
• Filemon Vela · Cosponsor
• Bonnie Watson Coleman · Cosponsor
• J. Luis Correa · Cosponsor
• Val Butler Demings · Cosponsor
• Nanette Diaz Barragán · Cosponsor
• Kathleen M. Rice · Cosponsor
• Bennie G. Thompson · Primary

Subjects