Press ReleaseUrgent2026-04-13

Walkinshaw Escalates OPM Oversight as Agency Conceals Staffing Losses Fueling Federal Retirement Backlog

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This press release from Representative James R. Walkinshaw (D-VA) was published on 2026-04-13 and titled "Walkinshaw Escalates OPM Oversight as Agency Conceals Staffing Losses Fueling Federal Retirement Backlog". It focuses on taxes and touches on the environment.

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Walkinshaw Escalates OPM Oversight as Agency Conceals Staffing Losses Fueling Federal Retirement Backlog

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), a Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led three colleagues — Representatives Robert Garcia (CA-42), Ranking Member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, and Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) — in following up with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on their original December inquiry requesting answers on continued federal retirement processing delays. In their letter, members of Congress demand the agency account for staffing losses in its Retirement Services division that its own Inspector General flagged but OPM omitted from its response to their December inquiry. In a follow-up letter to OPM Director Scott Kupor, the Members warned that the Trump administration's own workforce reduction policies have pushed employees out the door faster than the system can process them, and that OPM's response has been to tout new technology rather than come clean about the depth of the crisis. Thousands of federal employees who have spent careers in public service are now waiting in administrative limbo, unable to reach their former agency's HR offices, uncertain about their benefits, and trapped in a processing backlog. For many, the wait continues with no clear answers in sight. "What we do not support is the use of rhetoric about modernization efforts to obscure the existing backlog of retirement applications for federal employees, many of whom were pushed out by the Trump administration's workforce reduction policies," the Members wrote. OPM's partial response omitted findings from its own Inspector General indicating the Deferred Resignation Program had eliminated more than 100 positions in OPM's Retirement Services division, on top of contact center staffing that had already dropped from 150 to 115 representatives. That means fewer people answering calls, and no clear path for retirees to reach anyone once they lose access to government systems upon separation. "Why was this staffing reduction number not included in OPM's first response?" the Members wrote. The Members also ask OPM to provide information regarding staffing level changes within its Office of Legislative Affairs from December 2024 to present. This office plays a critical role helping Members of Congress advocate for retirees encountering delays. The letter also focuses on another basic unresolved question from the Members' December inquiry: once federal employees lose access to government email and internal systems, how are they supposed to reach their former agency's HR office at all? OPM has yet to provide a response as to whether a mechanism exists for retirees to contact a human being when their application hits a wall. The Members demanded a full accounting of OPM's Online Retirement Application adoption across federal agencies, including a specific update on GSA and USPS, which OPM previously identified as still in interim adoption status with full implementation expected by early 2026. The Members also pressed OPM on disability, deferred, and postponed retirement cases, asking what percentage of total cases these represent and whether OPM met its Q1 2026 deadline for full integration of these case types. These are public servants who earned their retirement through decades of honorable service. The Members requested a full response to all outstanding questions as soon as possible. Full letter text is available here and below. The Honorable Scott Kupor Director The Office of Personnel Management1900 E Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20415 Dear Director Kupor, On December 22, we wrote to OPM with questions regarding ongoing delays in federal employee retirement application processing and requested a full response by January 29, 2026. To date, OPM has provided only a partial response to a number of those questions. In its partial response, OPM also indicated it expected additional progress by early 2026 in the adoption and usage of its new digital retirement tool, the Online Retirement Application (ORA). In the meantime, we continue to hear from constituents who are experiencing significant delays and communication failures regarding their retirement applications. We write to follow up on outstanding questions from our initial letter and to request an update on ORA implementation across the federal government. Outstanding Questions and Status Update Requests: What guidance has OPM provided to agencies to ensure that retiring employees who lost access to government email and internal systems can continue to communicate with human resources offices using personal contact information? While information regarding OPM’s Online Retirement Application (ORA) system was provided, no clear answer was given regarding how retirees may directly contact their former employing agency’s HR office when there is a concern regarding the status of their retirement application. 1. Are ther

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Walkinshaw Escalates OPM Oversight as Agency Conceals Staffing Losses Fueling Federal Retirement Backlog WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), a Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led three colleagues — Representatives Robert Garcia (CA-42), Ranking Member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, and Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) — in following up with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on their original December inquiry requesting answers on continued federal retirement processing delays. In their letter, members of Congress demand the agency account for staffing losses in its Retirement Services division that its own Inspector General flagged but OPM omitted from its response to their December inquiry. In a follow-up letter to OPM Director Scott Kupor, the Members warned that the Trump administration's own workforce reduction policies have pushed employees out the door faster than the system can process them, and that OPM's response has been to tout new technology rather than come clean about the depth of the crisis. Thousands of federal employees who have spent careers in public service are now waiting in administrative limbo, unable to reach their former agency's HR offices, uncertain about their benefits, and trapped in a processing backlog. For many, the wait continues with no clear answers in sight. "What we do not support is the use of rhetoric about modernization efforts to obscure the existing backlog of retirement applications for federal employees, many of whom were pushed out by the Trump administration's workforce reduction policies," the Members wrote. OPM's partial response omitted findings from its own Inspector General indicating the Deferred Resignation Program had eliminated more than 100 positions in OPM's Retirement Services division, on top of contact center staffing that had already dropped from 150 to 115 representatives. That means fewer people answering calls, and no clear path for retirees to reach anyone once they lose access to government systems upon separation. "Why was this staffing reduction number not included in OPM's first response?" the Members wrote. The Members also ask OPM to provide information regarding staffing level changes within its Office of Legislative Affairs from December 2024 to present. This office plays a critical role helping Members of Congress advocate for retirees encountering delays. The letter also focuses on another basic unresolved question from the Members' December inquiry: once federal employees lose access to government email and internal systems, how are they supposed to reach their former agency's HR office at all? OPM has yet to provide a response as to whether a mechanism exists for retirees to contact a human being when their application hits a wall. The Members demanded a full accounting of OPM's Online Retirement Application adoption across federal agencies, including a specific update on GSA and USPS, which OPM previously identified as still in interim adoption status with full implementation expected by early 2026. The Members also pressed OPM on disability, deferred, and postponed retirement cases, asking what percentage of total cases these represent and whether OPM met its Q1 2026 deadline for full integration of these case types. These are public servants who earned their retirement through decades of honorable service. The Members requested a full response to all outstanding questions as soon as possible. Full letter text is available here and below. The Honorable Scott Kupor Director The Office of Personnel Management1900 E Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20415 Dear Director Kupor, On December 22, we wrote to OPM with questions regarding ongoing delays in federal employee retirement application processing and requested a full response by January 29, 2026. To date, OPM has provided only a partial response to a number of those questions. In its partial response, OPM also indicated it expected additional progress by early 2026 in the adoption and usage of its new digital retirement tool, the Online Retirement Application (ORA). In the meantime, we continue to hear from constituents who are experiencing significant delays and communication failures regarding their retirement applications. We write to follow up on outstanding questions from our initial letter and to request an update on ORA implementation across the federal government. Outstanding Questions and Status Update Requests: What guidance has OPM provided to agencies to ensure that retiring employees who lost access to government email and internal systems can continue to communicate with human resources offices using personal contact information? While information regarding OPM’s Online Retirement Application (ORA) system was provided, no clear answer was given regarding how retirees may directly contact their former employing agency’s HR office when there is a concern regarding the status of their retirement application. 1. Are ther