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Director’s Desk: April 15, 2013
Although the President submitted this year’s budget two months late, it’s clear that the various fiscal cliffs, the on again off again on again sequester and the continuing resolutions have made budget planning a nightmare. In defense, the budget proposes a new round of base closures that would begin in 2015, even though it’s clear
Director’s Desk: April 1, 2013
The sequester was, of course, never supposed to happen. The indiscriminate cuts to spending would be so damaging that surely Congress would take some action to avoid it – except it didn’t. With the exception of certain exempted programs – military salaries, veteran’s programs, Social Security, welfare and food stamps – everything else was supposed
Director’s Desk: March 20, 2013
The continuing resolution (CR) that passed in the House on March 6 was expected to easily pass in the Senate last week (wait a minute; did I just say “easily pass in the Senate”?). Both bills would fund the government at sequester level spending through September 30. The Senate version adds three additional appropriations bills
Director’s Desk: March 13, 2013
Both chambers remain on course to pass a largely uncontroversial extension of the expiring continuing resolution (CR) that will be comprised of an omnibus and probably five out of the 12 individual appropriations bills. It will set FY13 discretionary spending at $984b, equal to the sequester level, but with increased flexibility at departments covered by
Director’s Desk: March 7, 2013
CR Update: Yesterday the House passed a six-month FY13 continuing resolution (CR) that maintains sequester level spending for the remainder of the fiscal year, but provides appropriations to Defense and Milcon-VA. The measure, HR 933, passed by a vote of 267-151, would extend the federal pay freeze but grants military personnel a 1.7 percent pay
Director’s Desk: February 20, 2013
With two potential budget showdowns on the horizon – the sequester and the expiration of the Continuing Resolution (CR); and a third down the road – the next expiration of the debt ceiling – Democrats and Republicans appear to be headed for a confrontation over the sequester. Both sides are positioning so as to avoid
Update on the Sequester and Its Potential Impact
With nine days to go, hope of averting the March 1 sequester continues to fade, with each side drawing a line in the sand, and little reason to believe that their differences can be breached any time soon. Last week the President again went on record demanding that any agreement to delay or cancel the
Director’s Desk: February 6, 2013
Having barely avoided falling off the fiscal cliff on January 1, we soon found ourselves sliding down a slippery slope toward a dark and gloomy abyss. The sequester was postponed for only two months, the debt ceiling was raised, but only until May, and we continue to hurtle toward the March 27 expiration of the
Debt Ceiling Extension Likely to Pass; No Federal Pay Freeze
Later today the House will vote on a plan to effectively lift the debt limit for four months, removing, or at least postponing, the threat of default. The bill, HR 325, temporarily extends the debt limit without seeking any concessions on spending, and allows Republicans a way to avoid having to actually cast a vote
Director’s Desk: January 23, 2013
Despite the postponement of H.R. 273 (see accompanying newsletter), some fiscal hawks are unlikely to abandon their assault on federal pay. During the last Congress Republicans proposed several bills that would have extended the federal pay freeze up to five years, as well as proposals to prohibit feds from receiving within-grade step increases. Just this