Federal Eye: Federal pay cuts proposed to offset war costs

Republican senators on Tuesday unveiled two $60 billion proposals that cut government salaries and operational costs to help pay for the
wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and earthquake relief for Haiti.

Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) said they will not vote for the $59 billion war supplemental unless lawmakers come up with ways to offset the costs.

The first proposal would implement a one-year freeze on pay raises,
bonuses and other salary increases for civilian federal workers, saving
$2.6 billion. It also calls on the government to cancel $1.8 million in
expenses for a commission reviewing the financial crisis, eliminate $68
million in foreign aid, cancel a $500 million State Department training
facility planned for a Maryland community that opposes its construction
and collect $3 billion in unpaid taxes from federal workers. Over 10
years the plan also would repeal the Energy Star program and cut $4.4
billion in printing and publication costs, $8 billion in bonuses for
underperforming government contractors, $10 billion in nonessential
government travel and $20 billion in government overhead and expenses.

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