Quick Hits

*** The Office of Personnel Management released the results of an exit survey conducted from August 2016 through July 2017 with departing members of the Senior Executive Service. The survey found that about half of departing SESers were going to continue their work careers, with 77% of those saying they would continue to work full time and 55% expecting to receive an increase in pay. Just 13% of the departing executives who were continuing to work said they were moving to a government contractor for their next position.

*** The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to relocate two offices to the Kansas City Region, which takes in parts of Kansas and Missouri. Plans to relocate the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture are being opposed by House Democrats and federal employee unions. In recent weeks, large numbers of ERS and NIFA employees have voted to obtain recognition from the American Federation of Government Employees in part to get leverage to oppose relocation plans.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the move would save money. "The considerable taxpayer savings will allow us to be more efficient and improve our ability to retain more employees in the long run. We will be placing important USDA resources closer to many stakeholders, most of whom live and work far from Washington, D.C.," Perdue said in a statement.

AFGE National President J. David Cox condemned the announcement. "The USDA has provided no rational justification to employees, to Congress, or to its stakeholders for this move, which will make it harder for the agencies to coordinate with other science and research agencies," he said.

*** The Merit Systems Protection Board is inching closer to getting a functioning leadership and a quorum for a vote. The agency has been operating without any Senate-confirmed leaders since March 1. Former MSPB General Counsel and current board nominee B. Chad Bungard was heard by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on Wednesday. Bungard is the third nominee from the Trump administration to go before the committee after a long stalemate, and Senate votes on the trio are expected to proceed without controversy.