Tag: United States Secretary of Defense

One Solution to Sequestration: Slash Tens of Thousands of Defense Jobs

One Solution to Sequestration: Slash Tens of Thousands of Defense Jobs

Aerial photo over t, ... ]
Aerial photo over t, … ] Defense Department file photo

The Defense Department could manage long-term budget cuts from sequestration by massively reducing its civilian workforce, according to teams of analysts from Washington-based think tanks.

The teams came up with their solutions to the across-the-board spending cuts during a shadow budget review organized by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and held on Capitol Hill Wednesday afternoon. CSBA’s simulation directed the analysts to choose specific programs to maintain or cut based on full sequestration — a $522 billion budget reduction through fiscal 2023 — and about half that figure ($247 billion) in the same timeframe. Continue reading “One Solution to Sequestration: Slash Tens of Thousands of Defense Jobs”

Furlough Watch: Agency-by-Agency Impacts of Sequestration

Furlough Watch: Agency-by-Agency Impacts of Sequestration

  • 1:50 PM ET
  • (SEE ENTRIES IN RED FOR THOSE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS NOT BEING FURLOUGHED)
Air traffic controllers will be among those furloughed.
Air traffic controllers will be among those furloughed. Mike Stewart/AP file photo

This report has been updated. 

Across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration are having have serious implications for federal workers, as mandatory unpaid furloughs planned for hundreds of thousands of employees begin to take effect. We have compiled a list of possible agency-by-agency plans and effects. We will update the list as more information becomes available. Please use the comment section below to let us know if you have additional information about your agency.

Agriculture Department: The department will not need to furlough food safety inspectors, due to the continuing resolution bill signed March 26.  An email sent by a senior official on April 24 to employees at the Farm Service Agency said that the stop-gap funding bill passed by Congress would prevent furloughs at the agency. And the Rural Development division might escape furloughs too, meaning the whole department could be in the clear.  Continue reading “Furlough Watch: Agency-by-Agency Impacts of Sequestration”

Defense Begins Delivering Furlough Notices

Defense Begins Delivering Furlough Notices

An aerial view of the Pentagon.
An aerial view of the Pentagon. Defense Department file photo

Defense Department civilians on Tuesday began to receive furlough notices informing them of mandatory unpaid days off beginning in early July and running through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

The notices will be followed by a seven-day response period, during which employees can reply to officials regarding the proposed furloughs. A Defense spokeswoman told Government Executive that the notices were hand-delivered by supervisors “to the greatest extent possible,” but that mail and email would be used as possible options as well. She said furlough notices would be delivered to employees through June 5. Continue reading “Defense Begins Delivering Furlough Notices”

Who Is Subject to Defense Furloughs?

Who Is Subject to Defense Furloughs?

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has strived for a unified a departmentwide policy on civilian furloughs, even though individual services have argued for agency-specific guidance and exemptions.

When Hagel earlier this month reduced the number of mandatory days of unpaid leave at his department, he said he came to his decision by keeping “fairness” in mind.

Still, the new plan added to the growing list of positions that are exempt from the workweek cuts. Details are available in a memo sent to managers on May 14. Continue reading “Who Is Subject to Defense Furloughs?”

6 reasons why sequestration should not occur

6 reasons why sequestration should not occur

Posted by zbigniewmazurak on April 14, 2012

Less than 9 months from now, on January 2nd, 2013, the sequestration of defense spending will kick in unless the Congress stops it.

The opponents of a strong defense are triumphing. They are this close to achieving what they’ve been striving to achieve for decades: completely gutting America’s defense, so they will be able to do what none of America’s external enemies have been able to accomplish: bring the US military to its knees.

So now, as the Congress mulls whether to save defense from sequestration, they are protesting and pressuring the Congress to allow the sequester’s deep, unjustifiable, disproportionate defense cuts to occur.

So I’d like to present the facts to the Congress and the public: 6 reasons why defense spending sequestration should not and must not occur.

#1: It would gut the military. Continue reading “6 reasons why sequestration should not occur”

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