ExecutiveGov Captures Government Officials Perspectives on the Fallout of Sequestration

Over on our sister site ExecutiveBiz, we’ve reached out to our executive audience to ask for their views and perspectives on the first half of the year in government contracting, where sequestration, a tough budget environment and uncertainty have held court in the marketplace.

Government officials have played a large role in shaping the intersection between the private and public sectors this year and have had to act quickly while thinking strategically on how to best respond to current budget issues and act in advance of future expectations.

We’ve collected an assortment of official quotes here on sequestration and government spending and would like you to join the conversation, as well.

What’s been driving the year in your neck of the woods and where do you see the public sector and federal marketplace heading in the next six to 12 months?

“We are already out of balance due to the magnitude and mechanism – not to mention the steep descent – of budget cuts,” Dempsey told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“We will not be able to find the money we need to achieve the level of sequestration cuts without a dramatic impact in our readiness.”

Robert Mueller, Former FBI Director

“I have long said people are the bureau’s greatest asset,” Mueller said at a subcommittee hearing. “Additional operational cuts and furloughs will impact the FBI’s ability to prevent crime and terrorism, which will in turn impact the safety and security of our nation.”

“We have two resources to cut,” Mueller testified. “One is our people, which is a last resort.”

Frank Kendall, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics

“It’s a reasonable possibility that we will go into 2014 with sequestration still underway,” Kendall. “A lot of things we planned on doing we won’t be able to do.”

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel

The U.S. Defense Department is allocating significant investments for cybersecurity as one of its primary concerns despite across-the-board budget cuts in government.

“The level of investment that we put into cyber in the department is as protected or as focused as it would be in strategic nuclear.” “It’s right up there, in the one-two area, above all other programs.”