S.Amdt. 1900

SA 1900. Mrs. MURRAY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the

[[Page S3942]]

Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for
such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:

Strike section 1103 and insert the following:

SEC. 1103. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ``NEW
BEGINNINGS'' PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND
WORKFORCE INCENTIVE SYSTEM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE.

(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Section 1113 of the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111-84) required the
Department of Defense to institute a fair, credible, and
transparent performance appraisal system, given the name
``New Beginnings'', for employees which--
(A) links employee bonuses and other performance-based
action to employee performance appraisals;
(B) ensured ongoing performance feedback and dialogue among
supervisors, managers, and employees throughout the appraisal
period, with timetables for review; and
(C) developed performance assistance plans to give
employees formal training, on-the-job training, counseling,
mentoring, and other assistance.
(2) The military components and Defense Agencies of the
Department are currently reviewing the proposed ``New
Beginnings'' performance management and workforce incentive
system developed in response to section 1113 of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.
(3) The Department anticipates it will begin implementation
of the ``New Beginnings'' performance management and
workforce incentive system in April 2016.
(4) The authority in section 1113 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 provided the
Secretary, in coordination with the Director of the Office of
Personnel Management, flexibilities in promulgating
regulations to redesign the procedures which are applied by
the Department in making appointments to positions within the
competitive service in order to--
(A) better meet mission needs;
(B) respond to manager needs and the needs of applicants;
(C) produce high-quality applicants;
(D) support timely decisions;
(E) uphold appointments based on merit system principles;
and
(F) promote competitive job offers.
(5) In implementing the ``New Beginnings'' performance
management and workforce incentive system, section 1113 of
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010
requires the Secretary to comply with veterans' preference
requirements.
(6) Among the criteria for the ``New Beginnings''
performance management and workforce incentive system
authorized by section 1113 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, the Secretary is
required to--
(A) adhere to merit principles;
(B) include a means for ensuring employee involvement (for
bargaining unit employees, through their exclusive
representatives) in the design and implementation of the
performance management and workforce incentive system;
(C) provide for adequate training and retraining for
supervisors, managers, and employees in the implementation
and operation of the performance management and workforce
incentive system;
(D) develop a comprehensive management succession program
to provide training to employees to develop managers for the
Department and a program to provide training to supervisors
on actions, options, and strategies a supervisor may use in
administering the performance management and workforce
incentive system;
(E) include effective transparency and accountability
measures and safeguards to ensure that the management of the
performance management and workforce incentive system is
fair, credible, and equitable, including appropriate
independent reasonableness reviews, internal assessments, and
employee surveys;
(F) utilize the annual strategic workforce plan required by
section 115b of title 10, United States Code; and
(G) ensure that adequate resources are allocated for the
design, implementation, and administration of the performance
management and workforce incentive system.
(7) Section 1113 of the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2010 also requires the Secretary to develop a
program of training--to be completed by a supervisor every
three years--on the actions, options, and strategies a
supervisor may use in--
(A) developing and discussing relevant goals and objectives
with employees, communicating and discussing progress
relative to performance goals and objectives, and conducting
performance appraisals;
(B) mentoring and motivating employees, and improving
employee performance and productivity;
(C) fostering a work environment characterized by fairness,
respect, equal opportunity, and attention to the quality of
the work of employees;
(D) effectively managing employees with unacceptable
performance;
(E) addressing reports of a hostile work environment,
reprisal, or harassment of or by another supervisor or
employee; and
(F) allowing experienced supervisors to mentor new
supervisors by sharing knowledge and advice in areas such as
communication, critical thinking, responsibility,
flexibility, motivating employees, teamwork, leadership, and
professional development, and pointing out strengths and
areas of development.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Secretary of Defense should proceed with the
collaborative work with employee representatives on the ``New
Beginnings'' performance management and workforce incentive
system and begin implementation of the new system at the
earliest possible date.
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