F-word emanates from Congress

That’s right: Furlough—in a House bill (H.R. 270) from Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo.

Feds—that’s you—would have to take non-consecutive two weeks of furlough in fiscal 2012. If the bill were to pass, that is. Those in certain posts related to national security, public health and law enforcement would be exempted from the measure.

The usual suspects (federal employee organizations) are pushing back.

American Federation of Government Employees President John Gage, for example, pooh-poohed the exemptions, noting that “every federal employee is vital to the effective operation of our government.”

And National Federation of Federal Employees President William Dougan dissed a provision contained in the bill that would cut the pay of members of Congress by 10 percent. Most MoCs still would make $156,000 a year after the cut, Dougan noted, more than the highest paid GS 15 Step 10.

And the band plays on…