President Obama was illegally furloughing approximately two thousand federal civilian defense contractors at Offutt Air Force Base, in direct contravention of the Pay Our Military Act, passed last week through Congress and signed by Obama himself. Those four thousand employees represent approximately two thirds of the civilian personnel at Offutt Air Force Base.
The Pay Our Military Act explicitly promises “such sums as are necessary to provide pay and allowances to the civilian personnel of the Department of Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) whom the Secretary concerned determines are providing support to members of the Armed Forces.” According to Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE), Congress intent was to keep support personnel on the job, especially given that US Strategic Command is operated out of Offutt Air Force Base. STRATCOM “integrates and coordinates the necessary command and control capability to provide support with the most accurate and timely information for the President, the Secretary of Defense, other National Leadership and regional combatant commanders.”
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