DENVER (AP) — Colorado Republican congressman Doug Lamborn is questioning why the Missile Defense Agency is furloughing staff to meet mandatory budget cuts rather than finding the money elsewhere.

Lamborn’s spokeswoman, Catherine Mortensen, said Wednesday that Lamborn heard from a credible person inside the agency that a plan was drawn up to cut spending without furloughs, but that proposal was rejected.

In his letter to the agency director, Vice Adm. James D. Syring, Lamborn called the account disturbing.

Mortensen says Lamborn won’t reveal the name of the person who reported the alternative budget scenario.

A spokesman for the Missile Defense Agency says officials there will not comment.

The agency is in charge of attempting to develop a way to shoot down missiles fired at the U.S. and its allies.

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