The U.S. House Budget Committee recently advanced its Build a Better America budget resolution.
Included in the budget is a mandatory $200 billion in cuts aimed at balancing the budget by 2027.
Non-defense spending was cut by $5 billion while increasing spending for fighting terrorism and defense.
The House Oversight and Government Reform committee (OGR) must slash a minimum of $32 billion. OGR has jurisdiction over government employee benefits.
Potential cuts could include the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), either eliminating it for new employees, making current employees pay higher contributions or eliminating supplemental retirement income.
The OGR being forced to reduce spending is opposed by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).
“NATCA will work closely with members of Congress to improve the House resolution for the 2018 federal budget, but our Union will fight any proposal that would harm or cut the retirement benefits of active, former, or future NATCA members,” NATCA President Paul Rinaldi said. “These proposed cuts would negatively affect the retirements of air traffic controllers and other federal employees. At a time when the United States has the lowest number of certified professional controllers in 28 years, with nearly one-third of them retirement-eligible, such cuts could have a devastating effect on the National Airspace System.”