Govt shutdown furloughs 70% of US intelligence workforce

Source: Xinhua | October 3, 2013, Thursday |

Online Edition

The US federal government shutdown has forced the country's intelligence agencies to furlough 70 percent of its workforce, said US intelligence officials yestersday.

Speaking at a Senate panel hearing, James Clapper, director of National Intelligence, said the intelligence community has been forced to furlough "roughly 70 percent" of its workforce across the board.

"I've been in the intelligence business for about 50 years. I' ve never seen anything like this," said Clapper, who oversees 16 US intelligence agencies.

Clapper warned that the government shutdown and the furlough will affect the intelligence community's global capability to support the military, the diplomacy and policy makers, and the danger could accumulate over time and result in "insidious" damage.

Testifying at the hearing, General Keith Alexander, head of the National Security Agency, said the government shutdown and furlough of federal employees have impacted the agency "very hard, " including a huge impact on morale, as the agency is taking the most significant counter-terrorism measures.

After weeks of legislative pingpong game, the US lawmakers missed the Monday midnight deadline to avert a shutdown of the federal government.

World

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Govt shutdown furloughs 70% of US intelligence workforce

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