1/27/11: On Tuesday, President Obama’s State of the Union address included a proposed five-year spending freeze on discretionary spending and plans for government reform. In this press release to the media, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley expressed grave concerns about the impact of a spending freeze when many agencies are already facing staffing shortages and insufficient resources to fulfill their missions. Additionally, Kelley said NTEU will be closely monitoring any plans for government reform to ensure the focus remains on the effective delivery of services to the American people. She also declared NTEU’s support for effective, efficient government, which is best achieved with the inclusion of the voices of frontline federal workers in discussions on how to make government better for the American people. This statement is part of the Union's continuing commitment to ensuring the American people understand the value of federal employees and the important work that they do.