National News Alert

White House releases state-by-state breakdown of sequester's effects

The White House on Sunday detailed how deep spending cuts set to begin this week would affect programs in every state and the District, as President Obama launched a last-ditch effort to pressure congressional Republicans to compromise on a way to stop the across-the-board cuts.

But while congressional Republicans and Democrats were set to introduce this week dueling legislative proposals to avert the Friday start of the spending cuts, known as the sequester, neither side expected the symbolic measures to get enough support to pass Congress.

The 51 fact sheets describe what would happen over the next seven months if it goes into effect. The Washington area would be hit hard.

Virginia, Maryland and the District cumulatively would lose $29 million in elementary and high school funding, putting at risk 390 teacher and teacher's aides jobs and affecting 27,000 students. About 2,000 poor children would lose access to early education, and less funding would mean 31,400 fewer HIV tests. Nearly 150,000 civilian Defense Department personnel in the area would face furloughs through Sept. 30.

Read more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/white-house-releases-state-by-state-breakdown-of-sequesters-effects/2013/02/24/caeb71a0-7ec0-11e2-a350-49866afab584_story.html