Senators suggest a federal pay freeze to help fund wars

Two Republican senators have filed spending bill amendments that would freeze pay raises and bonuses for federal employees for one year to help pay for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and John McCain of Arizona said Congress must find cuts elsewhere to pay for the $60 billion war supplemental, and filed two amendments they said would save taxpayers $119.9 billion. One includes the salary freeze for feds, which the senators estimate would save $2.6 billion, as well as a mandate to collect unpaid taxes from federal employees for a savings of $3 billion. It also would eliminate non-essential government travel for a savings of $10 billion over 10 years and it would reduce "excessive duplication, overhead and spending" for a savings of $20 billion.

Other provisions of the amendment include:

• Reducing printing and publishing costs of government documents ($4.4 billion, over 10 years)
• Eliminating bonuses for government contractors that don't meet performance expectations ($8 billion, over 10 years)
• Repealing the Energy Star program ($627 million, over 10 years)
• Eliminating an increase in foreign aid for international organizations ($68 million)
• Limiting voluntary payments to the United Nations ($10 billion, over 10 years)
• Striking unnecessary appropriations for salaries and expenses of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission ($1.8 million)
• Rescinding a State Department training facility that was not requested by the community where it is to be constructed ($500 million)

The other amendment would cut the budgets of members of Congress for a savings of $100 million, dispose of excessive government property for a savings of $15 billion, auction and sell unused and unneeded equipment for a savings of $250 million over 10 years, and rescind unspent and uncommitted federal funds for a savings of $45 billion.

"Our amendments show that Congress can live within its means and pay for this bill," Coburn said in a statement. "The federal government and the Department of Defense, in particular, are rife with waste that could be eliminated to pay for legitimate priorities."

Coburn said funding ongoing wars through supplemental spending, as though they were an unforeseen emergence, is a "farce designed to help politicians avoid hard budget choices."

"Some say the fiscally-responsible way to pay for our war costs is to increase taxes; we disagree," McCain said. "The American people, particularly our soldiers and their families, are sacrificing enough already. It's time for politicians in Washington to make sacrifices and forgo their earmarks and other special deals to help provide our troops with the support and equipment they need."