WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) today released the following statement regarding the Department of Defense’s decision to reduce the number of furlough days for civilian defense employees from eleven to six this fiscal year:

“On behalf of our neighbors currently suffering due to furloughs, I’m pleased the Defense Department has found savings in other areas of the budget to reduce the number of furlough days for civilian workers,” said Congressman Austin Scott. “I voted against sequestration, and have repeatedly urged Defense officials in hearings and meetings to seek alternatives within the mandated defense cuts to end furloughs. With our national security and jobs in Georgia at stake, the critical task before Congress is to find a permanent solution to replace these defense cuts with sensible budget solutions.”

The House included an amendment introduced by Congressman Scott to end the furloughs of civilian employees funded through Defense Working Capital Funds (WCF) in the FY2014 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. Scott also sent a bipartisan letter to Department of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel demanding answers on the proposed furloughs of thousands of Defense civilian employees.

The reduction means civilian workers will only be required to take six furlough days in the final 11 weeks of the fiscal year, which ends in September, rather than one day per week. Civilian defense employees are now in their fifth week of furloughs, which began in July.

This Friday, August 9, 2013, Rep. Scott will attend 21st Century’s Sharing Help and Assistance Resources for Everyone (S.H.A.R.E.) event in Warner Robins to meet with Robins Air Force Base personnel, local businesses and community groups to discuss the impacts of sequestration.

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