The decision on how long DoD will furlough civilian employees may be just days away.
Secretary Chuck Hagel is currently reviewing an analysis of the effect the final FY2013 appropriations bill is having on DoD’s budgetary situation and the potential effects of a $37 billion sequestration cut in the next six months. Pentagon spokesperson George Little told reporters on Wednesday that Hagel will make a decision on furloughs “in the near future.”
Originally, DoD announced it would furlough civilian employees for 22 days ,then later reduced that number to 14 days. Hinting that perhaps the number of furlough days might be lowered again, Secretary Hagel told Congress last month “we have moved from 22 to 14 and maybe we can do better.”
As the Secretary and his staff review requests for exemptions, the Military Departments, especially the Navy, are pushing hard to have as few furlough days as possible. At a budget briefing, Rear Admiral Joe Mulloy, Navy’s budget officer, said “our issue on furloughs is to get down to zero.” Army and Air Force leaders have underscored the critical importance of their civilian employees and warned of the negative effect furloughs would have on the employees and their families.
DoD has consistently emphasized that any decision on furloughs would reflect the problems the entire department has with implementing the sequester. So, even though the Military Services and Defense Components might be able to deal with sequester by furloughing fewer or even no employees, Secretary Hagel and his staff have stuck to the “one team, one fight” policy (as Little described it). This means that a final decision on the number of furlough days would be applied consistently across the department.
Last month, 126 members of Congress wrote Hagel pressing him to base furlough decisions on merit and give flexibility to the Military Services. In response, Secretary Hagel reiterated that the final decision on how resources are reallocated because of the sequester would reflect fairness and consistency across DoD.
I am so tired of the possibility of furlough hanging over me. It has been discussed for over 3 months. On 1 May 2013 we were told that a decision would be made soon. Now it is 10 May 2013 and still no decision. I appreciate all of DOD’s efforts to try to prevent a furlough. But it is hard to make any plans for this summer when I don’t know what days I will be working and what days I will be furloughed without income.
Furloughs are not the answer to our economic needs. The savings the furlough will earn is just a temporary quick fix. What needs to be none is to look seriously at the fat that can cut from so many of the spending bills and govt programs. A real effort has to lead by congress and the senate to identify where the waste is and remove it. Just say dont pay Civilian employees is not the fix the problem will still be there. Both the House Republicans and Senate Dems need to put aside politics as usual and help get this train back on the economic prosperity we had durring the Clinton ADMIN and Durring the 1950’s post Korean War boom. One area to focus on is send Billions to forign countries some who not even are alies. The second area is NASA even though i agree we need a space program this is an area that should take cuts over 700,000 civilian govt employees. Just think about it.
Kudos to Brett Mellaci. That is exactly what needs to be done. I get a daily email on congressional activity and seriously question many of the “nothing move” bills that are bandied about. We really need to look at cutting the fat, especially where contracts are concerned. Why pay $500 for an office chair through a contract that I can get downtown for $100?