releases: https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=AFF60C16-57F1-473B-97C1-31BE18936EA1
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=AFF60C16-57F1-473B-97C1-31BE18936EA1 | Heitkamp Underscores the Need to Help Millennials Flourish in the Federal Workforce | 2016-09-29 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | ND | Heidi Heitkamp | H001069 | www.heitkamp.senate.gov | legacy | Nearly a third of permanent federal employees will be eligible to retire by 2019, but Millennials Currently Make up Less Than 19 Percent of the Federal Workforce WASHINGTON, D.C. – Building on her work to reinforce the urgency of addressing recurring challenges federal agencies face in recruiting and retaining federal workers, U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today called for and helped lead a hearing focused on solutions to grow the next generation of federal workers. During a hearing in the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management, where Heitkamp serves as the ranking member, Heitkamp discussed the strides agencies have made in attracting millennials to grow their careers within the federal workforce and how to continue that progress. Specifically, Heitkamp spoke with key federal leaders about solutions to improve and address chronic issues younger employees face in navigating the application process, and prioritizing workplace atmosphere to make sure younger federal workers are able to grow personally and professionally. According to the Government Accountability Office, nearly a third of career permanent employees will be eligible to retire by 2019. This means that the federal government must be prepared to recruit top talent from the millennial generation both as effectively as possible, and as soon as possible. Millennials currently make up less than 19 percent of the total federal workforce, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). “Millennials have the creativity, talent, and the drive to invigorate the federal workforce and make our government more effective and efficient for years to come – we just need to work together to make sure we are investing properly in that future” said Heitkamp. “Today I gathered top representatives from key agencies that are working to spark the changes needed to attract millennials to public service. From streamlining the hiring process to promoting a workplace that encourages professional and personal growth, our hearing discussed strategies to improve the federal workforce, and by extension, the entire federal government. This summer I put forward legislation to address key roadblocks to recruiting and retaining federal employees, and I’ll keep working to inspire our future generations to serve where our communities need them most.” Heitkamp has long been committed to improving the long-term outlook and quality of the federal workforce, introducing her Flexible Hiring and Improving Recruitment, Retention, and Education (Flexible HIRE) Act in July to help the federal government hire and retain the effective, vibrant federal workforce needed to support local communities and businesses across the nation – particularly in areas where remoteness or unique economic circumstances create hiring challenges. Heitkamp’s bill specifically responds to challenges she heard directly from federal agencies, businesses, and workers in North Dakota about filling critical positions in law enforcement, Indian Country, energy, and national security. The bill would give federal agencies a toolkit of resources to make hiring and human resources more flexible – improving recruitment and retention of federal workers in areas with unique hiring challenges. Building on her efforts to improve recruitment of the best federal employees, Heitkamp led a Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management Subcommittee roundtable in April to examine OPM’s ongoing efforts to make sure its jobs portal, USAJOBS, is easily accessible to applicants while effectively connecting federal agencies with top talent. The discussion also centered on federal efforts to attract and retain millennial workers, and on more potential improvements to increase the efficiency of hiring in the federal government. In May of last year, Heitkamp led a Senate hearing on how to improve the federal workforce by encouraging more millennial workers to pursue careers in public service and help them develop their talent within the public sector. In October 2015, she led a hearing on ways to recruit and retain federal workers in areas where remoteness or unique economic circumstances create hiring challenges, including North Dakota’s Northern Border and in the Bakken region. Heitkamp has been spearheading efforts to make sure federal employees – including civilian employees at Minot Air Force Base, scientists, engineers and park rangers – get the support they need to keep pace with the high cost of living across western North Dakota. In September 2014, Heitkamp brought then-U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Katherine Archuleta to North Dakota to hear firsthand about the challenges federal agencies face in maintaining a workforce in the face of North Dakota’s economic growth. Since Director Archuleta’s visit, three pay rate increases that Heitkamp pushed for have been approved, improving pay for nearly 500 employees across western North Dakota and civilian workers at Minot Air Force Base. While ultimately successful, the process to get those increases approved was inefficient, demonstrating the need to make real changes to federal recruitment and retention systems to make sure the federal government can meet the needs of our nation’s communities and families. That directly led to the introduction of Heitkamp’s Flexible HIRE Act. Heitkamp also brought the number two official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to North Dakota’s Northern Border in April 2015 to meet with local officials and hear firsthand about challenges in recruiting and retaining federal employees in remote communities. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |