800K civilian furloughs at stake if spending cuts happen

Congress continues to embarras this country by not being able to even pass budgets. One crisis after another while the American people end up paying for all of it. So why are we paying their salaries? They haven't done enough in years! Now more Americans will be out of work but they still get paid for not working. Does this fall under "entitlement" they love to cut from the budget?

Pentagon: 800K civilian furloughs at stake if spending cuts happen
By ERNESTO LONDOÑO
The Washington Post
Published: January 1, 2013

With lawmakers unable to approve a deal that would have averted steep spending cuts, Pentagon officials said Monday that 800,000 civilian employees could be ordered to go on unpaid leave for periods of time.

The military’s service chiefs, who have already been making cuts as part of a separate, long-term effort to whittle down the defense budget, are working to assess the impact of the congressionally mandated cuts. The broad fiscal retrenchment would begin Wednesday, although it is possible that lawmakers will find ways in coming weeks to allocate separate funding for the Pentagon and avoid the furloughs.

“Senior leaders in the department are working hard on how to communicate to the workforce what the consequences might be,” a senior defense official said Monday, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon’s contingency planning.
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