Federal Government Policy and Business

House Makes It Easier to Cut Federal Employees' Pay, Slash Workforce

Government Executive: Lawmakers on Tuesday approved a resolution that contains language making it easier for Congress to slash the federal workforce and cut the pay of federal employees.

A provision of the Rules for the 115th Congress governing the House of Representatives will enable lawmakers to reduce the number of federal workers at specific agencies or cut their compensation as a provision of or an amendment to an appropriations bill. The House Policy Committee said the measure will bring back what was known as the “Holman Rule” before Congress eliminated it in 1983. The rule will allow lawmakers to cut the workforce or compensation for employees only at the agencies covered by the specific spending bill in which the provision or amendment is included.

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