CBP Submits Plan to Congress that Would Allow Agency to Avoid Furloughs
CBP may be able to completely avoid furloughing its employees as part of major budgetary cutbacks around the government, the agency said. CBP "submitted a plan to Congress that, if approved, should eliminate the need to furlough CBP personnel this fiscal year," said a CBP spokeswoman. CBP originally said some furloughs may be necessary as part of the budget cuts, but additional funding from the FY 2013 allowed the agency to postpone furlough plans (see 13040213).
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Still, the cuts are expected to limit CBP operationally in other places, said the spokeswoman. "Other effects of sequestration will remain and will continue to have serious impacts on CBP’s operations including nearly $600 million in cuts," she said. "We continue to encourage all parties to work together on a solution that can replace sequestration entirely and avoid the damaging impacts to CBP and critical services across the country."
Sequestration may still prolong a hiring freeze for non-frontline personnel, a hold on monetary awards, and some overtime limitations, according to an internal memo from Deputy Commissioner Thomas Winkowski, the Washington Post reported (here). CBP has some ability to decide how it uses its funding, known as reprogramming authority, potentially allowing it to fill some gaps when necessary, even if the funds were originally planned to go elsewhere in the agency (see 13040822).