Lawmaker Pushes Governmentwide Furloughs

Civilian federal employees would be required to take two weeks worth of furlough days next year under legislation proposed by Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., Federal News Radio reports.

"Currently, at least 24 states, and nearly three quarters of a million workers, are undertaking a budget-cutting maneuver that I believe we should institute at the federal level: short term employee furloughs," Coffman said . "These states, across the nation, along with city and county government counterparts, recognize that occasional worker furloughs are necessary to cut budgets and hold down spending. It also has the benefit of ensuring that federal workers are not sheltered from the realities of life in today's economy."

The bill (H.R. 6134) also would cut lawmakers' pay by 10 percent. In total, it would save taxpayers more than $5.5 billion, Coffman said.