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Washington, D.C.—The leader of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) has urged the Senate to adopt the fiscal 2014 budget proposal of Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), calling it a balanced approach that will halt sequestration, promote job growth and protect the nation’s fragile economic recovery. The Senate may vote on the measure tomorrow.

“The Senate bill seeks to create a ten-year plan that will stop the country from leaping from crisis to crisis,” NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley wrote in a letter to senators urging a ‘yes’ vote on S. Con. Res. 8, introduced by Sen. Murray, chair of the Senate Budget Committee.

Kelley emphasized that the Murray proposal would eliminate the harmful sequestration cuts that took effect on March 1—and that it contains none of the anti-federal employee provisions of the House fiscal 2014 budget, advanced by Rep. Paul Ryan, (R-Wis.), chairman of the House Budget Committee.

Sen. Murray’s bill would eliminate sequestration. “It is the right prescription at the right time,” Kelley said.

In her letter, the NTEU leader pointed out the Murray legislation recognizes that federal employees “have borne the brunt of recent deficit reduction efforts” by contributing over $103 billion. It also acknowledges the reality that sequestration “would add the burden of furloughs to the 27-month pay freeze federal employees have endured,” she said. Some NTEU-represented employees are facing as many as 22 unpaid furlough days by the end of this fiscal year.

Passage this week of a continuing resolution for the balance of the current fiscal year extends the pay freeze for a third year—through 2013.

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.