The House Appropriations Committee with oversight for the EEOC has released the following report language. The amount of EEOC's budget in the report language is a $4 million cut from what EEOC received last year. On a good note, the appropriations language includes oversight for HQ restructuring, makes the filling of frontline field vacancies a prioritiy, and acknowledges the problems with the call center. Next stop for the budget will be when the full House votes on the appropriations bill that includes EEOC's budget, which will probably happen next week. After that, the same process will occur in the Senate. Finally, the House and Senate will meet in conference to work out any differences.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The recommendation includes $322,807,000 for the salaries and expenses of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for fiscal year 2007. This amount is $4,191,000 below the fiscal year 2006 level and the same as the request.

The recommendation continues language prohibiting the Commission from taking action to implement any workforce repositioning, restructuring, or reorganization unless the Committee has been notified in advance of such proposals, in accordance with the reprogramming procedures under section 605 of this Act. EEOC shall continue to submit quarterly status reports on projected and actual spending levels, by function, and shall highlight any changes resulting from repositioning activities.

The Committee understands that the EEOC intends to continue restructuring by next focusing on its headquarters. The Commission is directed to submit to the Committee, prior to implementation of any headquarters repositioning, restructuring, or reorganization plan, a comprehensive analysis of current staffing levels by department and the full impact the repositioning plan will have on all core services, including the number of staff to be redeployed to the field. The Committee directs the Commission to make the filling of frontline field vacancies its highest priority.

The Committee notes its concerns with the National Contact Center (NCC). For the past two years, the Commission has operated the NCC as a pilot project. It is the understanding of the Committee that in its evaluation, the Inspector General's Office found numerous problems with the NCC. The Committee expects the Commission to utilize the guidance as provided by the Inspector General's findings.

The bill includes language providing $28,000,000 for payments to State and local Fair Employment Practices Agencies (FEPAs). The bill also includes language similar to that included in previous Appropriations Acts allowing non-monetary awards to private citizens and up to $2,500 for official reception and representation expenses.

H.R.5672

Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2007 (Reported in House)

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

salaries and expenses

For necessary expenses of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as authorized by title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (29 U.S.C. 206(d) and 621-634), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991, including services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109; hire of passenger motor vehicles as authorized by 31 U.S.C. 1343(b); non-monetary awards to private citizens; and not to exceed $28,000,000 for payments to State and local enforcement agencies for services to the Commission pursuant to title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, sections 6 and 14 of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991, $322,807,000: Provided, That the Commission is authorized to make available for official reception and representation expenses not to exceed $2,500 from available funds: Provided further, That the Commission may take no action to implement any workforce repositioning, restructuring, or reorganization until such time as the Committees on Appropriations have been notified of such proposals, in accordance with the reprogramming provisions of section 605 of this Act.