DeLauro Calls on GOP to Act on Balanced Plan to Avert Spending Cuts

Middle-Class Connecticut Residents Will Pay the PriceOtherwise

WASHINGTON, DC –On the heels of a newreport released by the Obama Administration detailing the impact of cutsscheduled to hit Connecticut Friday, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) renewedher call for House Republicans to take swift action on a balanced plan to stopthese automatic spending cuts that would threaten our economy as well as arange of vital services for children, seniors, small businesses, and our menand women in uniform.

Last week DeLauro issued her own report detailingthe cumulative cuts to labor, health and education programs over the past10 years and those in place for future years, as well as how badly thesecritical services will continue to suffer due to the cuts scheduled to occur onFriday.

"The Obama Administration has reminded us of the damage toour fragile economy and to the safety and security of families in Connecticutthat the drastic, indiscriminate, across-the-board, automatic spending cutsthat start Friday will cause. Whether it is children in school, hungryseniors, college students struggling to pay for college, people looking for ajob, or women who are the victims of violence, or our public safety andhealth, this report details the damaging impact these cuts will have onpeople in Connecticut. Families across the state cannot affordanother self-inflicted wound from Washington.

"As I made clear last week, substantial cuts have alreadybeen made to services critical to the nation's well-being. We should bebolstering programs that provide job training, access to higher education andmental health services, not cutting into them further and harming Connecticutfamilies.

"With every passing day, thousands of jobs are at risk, thesecurity of middle class families hang in the balance, and the safety ofneighborhoods across Connecticut are in jeopardy. Our nation's economycannot afford any further uncertainty, obstruction, and delay. Too muchis at stake."

• Teachers and Schools: Connecticut will lose approximately $8.7million for primary and secondary education, resulting in approximately 8,000disadvantaged students losing access to education services and putting around120 teacher and aide jobs at risk.

• Education for Children with Disabilities: Connecticut will loseapproximately $6.3 million for about 80 teachers, aides, and staff who helpchildren with disabilities.

• College Aid and Work-Study Jobs: Around 550 fewer low income students inConnecticut would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college andaround 470 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay forcollege.

• Head Start and Early Head Start: Approximately 500 children inConnecticut will lose access to critical early education services.

• Military Readiness: In Connecticut approximately 3,000 civilianDepartment of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay byaround $15 million in total.

• Job Search Assistance: Around 10,650 fewer people will get thehelp and skills they need to find employment as Connecticut will lose about$242,000 for job search assistance, referral, and placement, meaning.

• Child Care: Up to 200 disadvantaged and vulnerable children could loseaccess to child care, which is also essential for working parents to hold downa job.

• Vaccines for Children: In Connecticut around 1,570 fewer children willreceive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus,whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding forvaccinations.

• Violence Against Women Grants: Connecticut could lose up to $76,000 toprovide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 300 fewervictims being served.

• Nutrition for Seniors: Connecticut would lose approximately $201,000 tohelp provide meals for seniors.