Legislative & Policy Platform

Career Senior Executives are not just leaders of the federal workforce, they oversee critical programs and budgets in all aspects of mission and support functions. Making sure the federal government has the tools, systems and processes in place to be responsive to taxpayer needs and political direction is imperative to deliver a 21st century, results-oriented government for the American people. 

SEA advocates for policies that secures a federal career leadership corps that is highly qualified, accountable, and focused on ensuring agencies meet their missions in accordance with laws passed by Congress and priorities of the President.

SEA remains deeply concerned about the administration’s actions to politicize the SES and run contrary to the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978.  The association supports strengthening the SES and developed a Joint SES Policy Agenda in collaboration with the Volcker Alliance and the Partnership for Public Service. SEA suggests a dozen reforms which optimize career executives’ opportunities to effectively lead their organizations and missions.  These include improving senior-level talent management and strengthening the connectivity between political and career leadership. Some of these matters are fully within the purview of the administration to address, while others will require congressional action.

SEA’s updated policy agenda for the 119th Congress focuses on high-impact, high-leverage policy recommendations that are necessary to advance civil service excellence, including:

• SES / Manager / Leader Selection and Development

• Performance Management & Accountability

• Hiring

• Pay & Total Rewards

• Advancing Modern Work & Workplace Policies