On May 7, 2014, the House Armed Services Committee will mark up (when a Committee meets to discuss, debate, amend and vote on legislation) the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15). The NDAA provides the funding, authorities and accountability for the Armed Forces yearly budget and appropriations process. Each year, the NDAA is closely monitored by NFFE and its allies in an effort to protect the jobs of NFFE-IAM members across the country. This year, an amendment will be offered to the NDAA in an effort to abolish 115,000 jobs in the civilian workforce of the Department of Defense (DoD). This amendment is similar to the language in H.R. 4257, a stand-alone bill introduced in March. NFFE stands in staunch opposition to this amendment and H.R. 4257.
This amendment is a slap in the face to civilian DoD employees who are already in the midst of significant workforce reductions as a result of FY13 NDAA. In that bill, against the objections of the White House and Pentagon, a provision was included that cut civilian DoD employees by the same percentage as its military reductions by 2017. As a result, DoD has already shed nearly 40,000 civilian jobs in the past two years. At a time when civilian DoD employees already fear the possibility of furloughs or losing their job, a draconian cut of 115,000 jobs would have serious implications on our nation’s military effectiveness. Further, there would be an untold ripple effect that decimates local communities around the nation that rely on the commerce provided by nearby military installations and its employees.
“This amendment would clearly gut our military effectiveness while adding to the unemployment problem in this country,” said NFFE National President William R. Dougan. “Nobody who supports this amendment can say with credibility that they support the U.S. military. NFFE vigorously opposes this amendment. NFFE is committed to defeating this draconian cut to the Department of Defense civilian workforce as it will once again make hard-working federal employees scapegoats for the inability of Congress to operate effectively.”
Every NFFE-IAM member is urged to take action on this matter by calling their member of Congress and urging them to oppose this amendment and any effort to slash the civilian DoD workforce.
To reach your member of Congress, call the capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
When contacting lawmakers, be sure to do so as a constituent, on your own time, using your own phone.