Called the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, the deal is the result of negotiations over the past few weeks by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA). It still has to pass through Congress, but it would set spending for the next fiscal year at $1.012 trillion and increase it to $1.014 trillion the year after that.
As the Huffington Post and others have reported, the Act pays for the spending increases in part by requiring both federal workers and military personnel to contribute a greater portion of their own funds to their pensions.
FBIAA President Rey Tariche sent a letter on behalf of the FBIAA membership expressing support for the lawmakers' efforts to avoid further sequestration cuts but also voicing concern about the impacts of increased pension contribution requirements on FBI Agents.
Rey wrote, "On behalf of the FBI Agents Association ("FBIAA") a voluntary professional association currently representing over 12,000 active duty and retired FBI Agents, I write to express the FBIAA's support for the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which would help prevent the next round of devastating cuts to the FBI's budget."
"However," he continued, "we do not believe that avoiding these cuts should require that Agents receive a cut in their pay in the form of increased pension contributions. Agent pay and benefits are not the cause of this country's fiscal problems, and cutting these benefits have minimal impact on reducing the deficit."
Read Rey's full letter below.
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