U.S. State Dept keeps hiring freeze as Tillerson looks to downsizeWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has maintained a hiring freeze at the State Department even though it was lifted for the rest of the federal government, a spokesman said on Thursday, as the agency begins to downsize before Congress approves funding cuts.  Acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner confirmed that the hiring freeze would remain until the plan to downsize and reorganize had been fully developed. He could not give a timeline for the reorganization. “We can’t be onboarding people when we don’t know what our reorganization is going to ultimately look like,” Toner told a briefing for reporters. Trump’s budget proposal for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 would cut 28 percent of the budget for U.S. diplomacy and foreign aid. Republicans and Democrats in Congress, which approves the budget, have rejected the prospect of such cuts. It was not known whether the White House directed Tillerson to keep the hiring freeze in place for the State Department or whether other agencies would also refuse to lift the hiring ban. Two State Department officials said Tillerson plans to downsize staff over a period of two to three years. Tillerson informed State Department employees of the decision on Wednesday, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. While Trump’s original hiring freeze notice on Jan. 23 excluded political appointees, it has stopped the hiring of rank-and-file workers and the replacement of others who have resigned or retired. William Hoagland, senior vice president of the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank, said the Trump administration may have to seek congressional approval if the hiring freeze changes the function of programs congress explicitly voted to fund.  Hoagland said the administration would have to send what is known as an impoundment resolution if the State Department “jeopardizes what that agency is there to begin with by not filling positions that are vacated.” Congress would then have to approve the resolution, Hoagland said.  The State Department’s Toner said Tillerson was not breaking any federal rule by maintaining the hiring freeze.  “My understanding is that (Tillerson) has the jurisdiction to keep this freeze in place as we go about this presidentially-mandated” reorganization, Toner said.  The Office of Management and Budget, which handles federal budgeting, did not respond to a request for comment.     Trump’s budget director Mick Mulvaney told reporters on Tuesday that the hiring freeze would be lifted but that agencies will be asked to remain mindful of Trump’s goal to reduce the federal work force. Tillerson said in March that the State Department’s current spending was “simply not sustainable.”     politicsNews
state dept keeps hiring freeze tillerson looks downsizewashington reuters secretary state rex tillerson maintained hiring freeze state department even though lifted rest federal government spokesman said thursday agency begins downside congress approves funding cuts acting state department spokesman mark tower confirmed hiring freeze would remain plan downside reorganize fully developed he could give timeline reorganization we boarding people know reorganization going ultimately look like tower told briefing reporters trump budget proposal fiscal year starting would cut percent budget diplomacy foreign aid republicans democrats congress approves budget rejected prospect cuts it known whether white house directed tillerson keep hiring freeze place state department whether agencies would also refuse lift hiring ban two state department officials said tillerson plans downside staff period two three years tillerson informed state department employees decision wednesday according internal memo seen reuters while trump original hiring freeze notice excluded political appointees stopped hiring workers replacement others resigned retired william homeland senior vice president bipartisan policy center think tank said trump administration may seek congressional approval hiring freeze changes function programs congress explicitly voted fund homeland said administration would send known impoundment resolution state department jeopardizes agency begin filling positions congress would approve resolution homeland said the state department tower said tillerson breaking federal rule maintaining hiring freeze my understanding tillerson jurisdiction keep freeze place go reorganization tower said the office management budget handles federal budgeting respond request comment trump budget director mick mulvaney told reporters tuesday hiring freeze would lifted agencies asked remain mindful trump goal reduce federal work force tillerson said march state department current spending simply politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. State Dept keeps hiring freeze as Tillerson looks to downsizeWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has maintained a hiring freeze at the State Department even though it was lifted for the rest of the federal government, a spokesman said on Thursday, as the agency begins to downsize before Congress approves funding cuts.  Acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner confirmed that the hiring freeze would remain until the plan to downsize and reorganize had been fully developed. He could not give a timeline for the reorganization. “We can’t be onboarding people when we don’t know what our reorganization is going to ultimately look like,” Toner told a briefing for reporters. Trump’s budget proposal for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 would cut 28 percent of the budget for U.S. diplomacy and foreign aid. Republicans and Democrats in Congress, which approves the budget, have rejected the prospect of such cuts. It was not known whether the White House directed Tillerson to keep the hiring freeze in place for the State Department or whether other agencies would also refuse to lift the hiring ban. Two State Department officials said Tillerson plans to downsize staff over a period of two to three years. Tillerson informed State Department employees of the decision on Wednesday, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. While Trump’s original hiring freeze notice on Jan. 23 excluded political appointees, it has stopped the hiring of rank-and-file workers and the replacement of others who have resigned or retired. William Hoagland, senior vice president of the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank, said the Trump administration may have to seek congressional approval if the hiring freeze changes the function of programs congress explicitly voted to fund.  Hoagland said the administration would have to send what is known as an impoundment resolution if the State Department “jeopardizes what that agency is there to begin with by not filling positions that are vacated.” Congress would then have to approve the resolution, Hoagland said.  The State Department’s Toner said Tillerson was not breaking any federal rule by maintaining the hiring freeze.  “My understanding is that (Tillerson) has the jurisdiction to keep this freeze in place as we go about this presidentially-mandated” reorganization, Toner said.  The Office of Management and Budget, which handles federal budgeting, did not respond to a request for comment.     Trump’s budget director Mick Mulvaney told reporters on Tuesday that the hiring freeze would be lifted but that agencies will be asked to remain mindful of Trump’s goal to reduce the federal work force. Tillerson said in March that the State Department’s current spending was “simply not sustainable.”     politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: state dept keeps hiring freeze tillerson looks downsizewashington reuters secretary state rex tillerson maintained hiring freeze state department even though lifted rest federal government spokesman said thursday agency begins downside congress approves funding cuts acting state department spokesman mark tower confirmed hiring freeze would remain plan downside reorganize fully developed he could give timeline reorganization we boarding people know reorganization going ultimately look like tower told briefing reporters trump budget proposal fiscal year starting would cut percent budget diplomacy foreign aid republicans democrats congress approves budget rejected prospect cuts it known whether white house directed tillerson keep hiring freeze place state department whether agencies would also refuse lift hiring ban two state department officials said tillerson plans downside staff period two three years tillerson informed state department employees decision wednesday according internal memo seen reuters while trump original hiring freeze notice excluded political appointees stopped hiring workers replacement others resigned retired william homeland senior vice president bipartisan policy center think tank said trump administration may seek congressional approval hiring freeze changes function programs congress explicitly voted fund homeland said administration would send known impoundment resolution state department jeopardizes agency begin filling positions congress would approve resolution homeland said the state department tower said tillerson breaking federal rule maintaining hiring freeze my understanding tillerson jurisdiction keep freeze place go reorganization tower said the office management budget handles federal budgeting respond request comment trump budget director mick mulvaney told reporters tuesday hiring freeze would lifted agencies asked remain mindful trump goal reduce federal work force tillerson said march state department current spending simply politicsnews