Defense secretary tries to ease employee fears about potential cuts
By Larry Shaughnessy
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta sent a memo this week to all the troops and civilians who work for him to address concerns about the mandatory spending cuts that would occur if the president and lawmakers do not reach a budget agreement by the end of the year.
In it, Panetta wrote that if the procedure, known as sequestration, were to occur, it "would not necessarily require immediate reductions in spending."
He also wrote that "under sequestration, we would still have funds available after Jan. 2, 2013, but our overall funding for the remainder of the year would be reduced."
It's a very different spin on the sequestration from Panetta, who in the past said it would be a "disaster." If this "meat ax" approach to budget cutting were used, he said, it would "hollow out the force."
The cuts are slated to be across the board, totaling roughly $500 billion over 10 years.
Panetta tried to reassure the troops that "the president indicated his intent to exercise his legal authority to exempt military personnel" from the mandatory cuts.
But he couldn't make the same promise to the Defense Department's million or so civilian employees.
Instead he said, "Should we have to operate under reduced funding levels for an extended period of time, we may have to consider furloughs or other actions in the future."
Asked about the change of tone, a senior defense official said, "The secretary continues to believe that sequestration would be devastating and is puzzled that Congress can't reach a deal."
The same official said the memo reflects the Office of Management and Budget's view of the issue, especially with respect to furloughs.
Panetta wrapped up the memo by writing, "I want to assure you that we will do our very best to provide clear information about the status of events as they unfold."
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
Excellent goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you're just too magnificent. Jones sabo managed carwash who have human being bays http://www.melinamexsalsa.com/index.php/2008/04/19/
TOO BAD THE SUPREME COURT NO LONGER WANTS PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE MALITIA IS THE NATIONAL GUARD NOT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS NOT IN THE NATIONAL GAURD WHO WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE A MILITARY PURPOSE ARM GOOD FOR KILLING KIDS AND COMMITING MASS SHOOTING CRIMES REGAURDLESS OF ANY ACTUAL DIRECT INDIVIDUAL COMMERCE OR IF THE ARM IS OWNED BY THE CRIMINAL OR WHO THE WEAPON ACTUALY BELONGS TO
.
We spend in 3 months $ 130 billion on endless wars that brought us to bnkrupcy.Congress talks about saving $130 billion per year, while at the same time they get almost over $1 trillion in debt.-let us get real. Do the math .
Getting a balanced budget in DC is like getting Alexander Solzhenitsyn's last book "200 Years Together" published in English or Thilo Sarrazin's book 'Europe Does Not Need The Euro" translated into English- it makes too much sense and is most likely not going to happen. The people in power want to keep us ignorant and poor.
THE PRIVET SECTOR IF THEY ONLY KNEW:
(...)Apple Steve Jobs The Crazy Ones – NEVER BEFORE AIRED 1997
http://m.youtube.com/watch?client=mv-google&hl=en&gl=US&v=8rwsuXHA7RA(...)
not really but because israel says corporations are people ta dah total mind fuc
corporations are people my friends
You ever notice how no one reads what you write unless you want people to see it lots of people I know have
cardio for confined spaces pop up sent by mother fer opens itself up and poof no more personal data left nothing even interesting to read on the pop up but sudo military BS
KILL THE NRA
gee...thanks Mother Fer for using the internet to delete all my electronic records.
I WONDER HOW MUCH TIME AND MONEY WE WILL SPEND ERASING THE INDIVIDUAL MESSANGERS ELECTRONIC DEVICES ONLY TO TURN AROUND AND PRETEND IT NEVER HAPPEND/HAPPENS
The era of DoD p a d d i n g the civilian payroll with u n q u a l i f i e d people just to say they're fully staffed is finally coming to an end.
Long past overdue...
I WONDER HOW MUCH MONEY WE WILL SPEND WATCHING EACH OTHER AND PUTING ONE ANOTHER IN JAIL ect. ect ect.