Rochester, NY - We didn't go over the Fiscal Cliff in Washington, but now face the latest fiscal crisis: Sequestration.
On March First, 85 billion dollars in spending will be sequestered by the Office Of Management and Budget.
The spending cuts will be used to pay down the National Debt, which now stands at 16 and a half trillion dollars.
That could result in deep cuts that could affect everything from our National Security to our schools.
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter said this could cause the loss of 70-thousand jobs in New York State.
She said lay off notices have also been sent out.
The cuts come from both Defense and Domestic spending and were agreed upon by Congress in 2011 as part of the Budget Control Act.
Slaughter said she didn't vote for it, but many of her colleagues did. "Some people on my side think this is the only way to get defense cuts, they're willing to risk it, I'm not, it's too draconian," she said.
Slaughter said the cuts will be felt the most at the Greater Rochester International Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration budget will be cut by ten percent. That could mean fewer screeners and air traffic controllers.
Slaughter said that could pose major safety concerns.
She hopes there will be some action to at least delay the deadline, so Congress can come up with another plan.
Republican Congressman Tom Reed of Corning said it's up to Democrats to come up with a plan or the cuts will be made.
Reed said, "this is a spending problem and the federal government needs to downsize."
Reed also said tax increases aren't an option because taxpayers can't afford that.
