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Washington, D.C.—By continuing sequestration funding levels and targeting the pensions of federal workers, the House Republican budget plan will have a devastating impact on agencies’ ability to perform their missions and will further erode employee morale, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) said today.

“Our nation depends on highly-skilled federal workers to protect us in so many ways and on so many fronts. This regressive proposal would harm middle-class federal workers and their ability to do their jobs,” said NTEU National President Colleen M. Kelley.

The blueprint authored by Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.) leaves in place the sequestration spending levels in fiscal 2016 for defense and non-defense agencies, but adds significant funding to defense outside the caps. Sequestration cuts in 2013 forced federal agencies to implement furloughs, hiring freezes, cuts in training and cuts to vital programs and services, the NTEU leader said.

“Further cuts will only worsen the scenario and set our nation on a backward course,” she said.

The NTEU president slammed language in the document proposing further increases to federal employee pension contributions, which equates to a pay cut for federal workers. Pension contributions for newer employees have already been increased twice in just two years.

“In recent years, federal workers have done more than their fair share to reduce the deficit by contributing $159 billion toward budget savings. Once again, federal employees are being targeted disproportionately by those who do not value and respect what they do,” Kelley said.

NTEU is also troubled about the budget’s proposal to dramatically alter and weaken the Medicare program, which is relied on by federal employees in retirement.

“I am very concerned these continued attacks on the federal workforce and our federal agencies will make the government a workplace of last resort for talented and experienced employees,” she said.

NTEU, the nation’s largest independent federal union, represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.