Courtney statement on Pentagon announcement of reduced furlough days for DoD employees

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today released the following statement after U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced that the Pentagon has reduced furlough days for Department of Defense civilian employees to 11 from the originally-proposed 22:

"Today's development, which is a direct result of the Continuing Resolution the House passed in March, is small progress for workers and their families, but 11 furlough days are still an unacceptable way to balance the budget. Rather than wasting time this week on the 37th vote to repeal Obamacare, the Republican House should focus on common sense ways to turn off the sequester with balanced deficit reduction. The alternative to that approach is the furloughs we are seeing today, more children being kicked out of Head Start, more seniors losing access to Meals on Wheels, and more unnecessary, self-inflicted wounds to our economic recovery."