The Senate has chosen not to consider legislation that would extend the federal employee pay freeze through 2015 and mandate a 10 percent across-the-board workforce reduction in federal agencies.
It’s not the first time these ideas have been tabled in Congress. For example, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee recently approved a bill that would reduce the federal workforce by 10 percent by October 2014 by limiting the number of employees agencies can hire to replace departing workers. Proposals to reduce the federal workforce through attrition are popular with Republicans and have been included in other bills.
The Senate however voted 20 – 78 against a motion to proceed to the measure, S-1931, introduced by Sen. Heller Dean R-NV, which would have extended the payroll tax cut, financing it with a reduction in the federal workforce and extending the pay freeze.
