NTEU Letter in Opposition to House Leadership FY 2013 Funding Resolution

03/05/2013

3/5/13: Today NTEU sent this letter to every member of the House of Representatives opposing H.R. 933, an FY 2013 Continuing Resolution (CR) introduced yesterday by the House leadership that would freeze agency funding at FY 2012 levels, maintain the devastating cuts mandated by sequestration that went into effect on March 1, and extend the pay freeze on federal employees through the end of 2013.  The House is scheduled to vote on the bill as early as this Thursday.

 In our letter, we noted that freezing agency funding for most agencies for the remainder of the fiscal year at roughly their FY 2012 levels, and allowing sequestration cuts to further erode those funding levels would have a devastating impact on the ability of NTEU-represented agencies to accomplish their missions. We noted many of these agencies are already struggling to provide critical services that the American public relies on due to insufficient funding over the last few years, and that the 5–9% sequestration funding cuts mandated in the bill would only worsen their ability to meet their missions and would require unpaid furloughs that will cut employee pay by up to 20%.

In addition, our letter expressed opposition to a provision in H.R. 933 that would extend the current pay freeze on federal employees through the remainder of 2013.  As you know, under current law, when the current CR funding the government expires on March 27, the already delayed one-half percent pay increase for the federal workforce is scheduled to take effect.  NTEU believes depriving federal employees of a minimal pay increase is just another in the continuing series of attacks on federal employees and comes on the heels of the two-plus year pay freeze, constant threats of government shutdowns and furloughs, and agency budgets that have been so strapped they hamper federal employees’ ability to provide vital services. 

You can be assured that NTEU and its supporters in the House will do all it can to defeat the this proposal that would have such a devastating impact on federal agencies and the dedicated federal workforce, and will continue to encourage the House to immediately act to prevent a government shutdown by providing agencies with sufficient funding.