Local federal employees got a 20 percent cut in pay starting yesterday, because of furlough days forced by sequestration budget cuts. U.S Congressman Paul Cook of Yucca Valley issued a strong statement yesterday, criticizing the start of Department of Defense furloughs. Cook said, “So long as our country has troops in harm’s way, it is unacceptable to put such severe budget restrictions on the Department of Defense. The civilian employees of the DOD play an integral role in our national security. Restricting their ability to do their jobs poses a serious threat to our nation’s defense and mission readiness. We can save money in other ways, like eliminating waste and resisting the urge to expand programs and bases.” While many other agencies of the federal government were able to avoid furloughing employees, the Department of Defense was unable to do the same because of the way the sequestration is structured.
