Congressman Bill Owens is applauding the Department of Defense decision to reduce the number of unpaid furlough days for civilian defense employees from 11 to six, according to Owens’ staffers.

Since early July the sequester’s across-the-board cuts to the department’s budget have caused mandatory unpaid furlough days for civilian personnel, according to Owens’ staff.

“While any loss of pay for civilian defense employees is unacceptable, this is good news for furloughed employees at Fort Drum and at defense installations across the country,” Owens said. “I applaud Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel for finding enough savings to reduce the furloughs and call on my colleagues in congress to pass a practical, long-term solution that ends sequestration as soon as possible.”

Owens recently introduced legislation he claims would save enough taxpayer money to end sequestration. The Spending Reduction Act (H.R. 2250) would save approximately $100 billion by implementing the cost-saving recommendations the Government Accountability Office has produced annually since 2011, he said.

Last week Hagel warned that more furloughs and other cuts that would jeopardize the nation’s global security objectives are likely if congress does not end sequestration, according to Owens’ staff.