Comer, Sessions & Boebert Continue Probe into Biden Administration's Federal Telework Policy

Letter

Dear Mr. Zients:

The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is conducting oversight of the Biden
Administration's post-pandemic telework and remote work policies for federal employees. As
you are likely aware, the Committee sent letters to 25 federal agencies on May 18, 2023,
requesting data and details necessary to assess the potential impact of expanded telework on
agency mission accomplishment.1 Despite our reasonable request for information, our first letter
was largely ignored until we sent follow-up communications to the unresponsive agencies on
August 4.2

By coincidence, on the same day the Committee sent its follow-up letters, you sent an
email to agency heads stressing the importance of transitioning away from telework to return
more federal employees to in-person work.3 Your letter stated that "aggressively" increasing inperson work is a priority for President Biden, and that doing so would allow the executive branch
"to deliver better results for the American people" by improving "teamwork… and productivity"
within the federal workforce.4 By suggesting that in-person work would lead to improved
outcomes, your email implies that the Biden Administration's widespread use of post-pandemic
federal telework has resulted in reduced productivity, diminished customer service, and worse
overall returns for the American taxpayer. With the worst effects of the COVID pandemic long
behind us, the timing and motivation of the Administration's sudden push for increased in-person
work calls for a more formal explanation.

The American people deserve to understand the Biden Administration's post-pandemic
telework policy and the thinking behind the Biden Administration's rapidly evolving telework
posture. Accordingly, the Committee requests point-for-point responses to the following
questions, as soon as possible but no later than September 14, 2023, to understand:

1 See Letter from Chairman James Comer et al. to Various Agency Heads (May 18, 2023).
2 See Letter from Chairman James Comer, Chairman Pete Sessions, and Representative Lauren Boebert to Various Agency Heads (Aug. 4, 2023).
3 Alex Thompson, "Scoop: Biden pushes to end remote work era for feds," AXIOS (Aug. 4, 2023), https://www.axios.com/2023/08/04/biden-end-remote-work-federal-employees.
4 Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp), X (Aug. 4, 2023), https://twitter.com/AlexThomp/status/1687574175622316033.

Mr. Jeffrey Zients
August 31, 2023
Page 2 of 3

1. What motivated the White House's call for federal agencies to transition away from
telework to more in-person work;

2. Whether the Committee's May 18, 2023, or August 4, 2023,--or any other congressional
inquiries about post-pandemic federal telework--contributed to the White House's
sudden push to increase in-person work;

a. If responding to Question 2 in the negative, explain why the Biden Administration
acted when it did to push for increased in-person work, and why the Administration
did not act earlier;

3. Whether the White House had become aware of diminished performance by federal
employees under the Biden Administration's post-pandemic telework policy;

a. If responding to Question 3 in the negative, why did Mr. Zients' August 4 email to
cabinet leadership state that a transition to more in-person work would "deliver better
results for the American people" and "[increase]… productivity;"

b. If responding to Question 3 in the affirmative, explain in what ways and to what
extent performance by federal employees was impacted by the Biden
Administration's post-pandemic telework policy.

An attachment to this letter provides additional instructions for responding to the
Committee's request. To make arrangements to deliver documents or ask any related follow-up
questions, please contact Committee on Oversight and Accountability Majority Staff at (202)
225-5074.

The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of
the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate "any matter" at "any
time" under House Rule X. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this inquiry.

Sincerely,
_________________________

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