Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) 2004 Federal Work force Conference is commencing today, September 8, at the Baltimore Convention Center with a keynote address by OPM Director Kay Coles James.

"This conference is a strategic tool to reach the greater federal work force and highlight issues of key importance in a succinct and comprehensive fashion," said James. "As we approach the third anniversary of 9/11, it is critical we continue to address agencies' emergency preparedness efforts at each and every opportunity we have. In addition to the many government-wide emergency preparedness trainings OPM has held, trainings on the preparedness of the federal work force are scheduled for the conference, and I encourage attendees to take special note of these and other important workshops."

The conference is being attended by 2,035 federal professionals, representing 68 federal agencies from across government. (See attached list for agencies represented.) Attendees are from all over the United States, as well as a few stationed in Germany and Korea.

The agenda is packed with six full plenary sessions and 143 workshops which focus on practical, and immediately applicable, issues ranging from the emergency preparedness of the federal work force and the role local-level Federal Executive Boards shoulder in emergency planning to changes and new directions in the human resources field -- including human resources policy and operational issues. Human capital strategies and their relationships to labor and employee relations, pay and benefits, performance management, e-Government, and personnel security also will be discussed.

"The President laid out his vision for reform of the Federal government more than three years ago," stated today's luncheon speaker, Secretary Alphonso Jackson, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. "His management agenda called for performance and results and it was an important step in ensuring that the government makes good on the promises we make to the American people. We recognize that our employees are HUD's most valuable asset. They are crucial to fulfilling our mission. Since joining the Bush Administration three and a half years ago, I've become absolutely convinced that some of the best workers in the world are found in the Federal government."

Other speakers highlighting the event include Secretary Anthony Principi, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; David Walker, Comptroller General of the Government Accounting Office; and Stephen Goldsmith, Chair of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Additional information can be obtained at www.opm.gov/conference.

Media interested in covering the conference should contact Rusty Asher, 202-606-2402 or wrasher@opm.gov.

Agencies Represented:

Administrative Office of the US Courts
Architect of the Capitol
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Broadcasting Board of Governors
Central Intelligence Agency
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Corporation for National and Community Service
DC Pretrial Services Agency
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Department of Defense
Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Health & Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Housing & Urban Development
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Department of State
Department of the Air Force
Department of the Army
Department of the Interior
Department of the Navy
Department of the Treasury
Department of Transportation
Department of Veterans Affairs
Environmental Protection Agency
Export-Import Bank
Farm Credit Administration
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Federal Election Commission
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Labor Relations Authority
Federal Maritime Commission
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
Federal Trade Commission
General Accounting Office
General Services Administration
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Library of Congress
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
National Credit Union Administration
National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities
National Labor Relations Board
National Science Foundation
National Transportation Safety Board
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Office of Personnel Management
Office of Special Counsel
Office of the President/EOP/OA
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Railroad Retirement Board
Securities and Exchange Commission
Selective Service System
Small Business Administration
Smithsonian Institution
Social Security Administration
State and Local Organizations
U.S. Agency for International Development
U.S. Government Printing Office
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council
U.S. International Trade Commission
United States Postal Service