DOD, fed jobs on the line

Congress was poised Oct. 20 to send an annual Defense Department policy bill to the White House setting up a showdown that could leave the Pentagon without a budget and about 400,000 federal employees facing furloughs. President Obama has until Oct. 31 to decide whether to make good on his veto threat to the National Defense Authorization Act of FY 2016. This fiscal year’s bill includes an reform of the federal pension system, price hikes for Tricare fees, and protection of the Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt II – that the service doesn’t want. A veto could throw the whole defense budget into uncertainty, and sending Congress scrambling for a renewed plan by Dec. 11, when the current Continuing Resolution runs out. Troops would not be paid; and some 400K civilians would be furloughed if not resolved. (Source: Stars and Stripes 10/20/15) Central Mississippi Note: There are thousands of federal workers, and contractors, throughout the state of Mississippi including those working at Columbus AFB and NAS Meridian.