To Restore and Renew: The State of the Federal Service

The terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on Sept. 11 reminded the nation just how important the federal public service is in times of crisis. The night after the attacks, President Bush said, "the functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington . . . will be open for business tomorrow." In the days and weeks following the attacks, it became clear that not only would government be open, it would take on a greatly expanded role.