(ROUND ROCK, TX) -  Breaking news today on sequestration and its potential effects in Killeen and Temple out of Round Rock today.

From the office of John Carter, U.S. Rep John Carter (R-TX31):

"Mitigating the negative economic impact of sequestration will require President Obama and the Democrat majority Senate to finally start working with the House next week, according to Central Texas Congressmen John Carter (T-TX31) and Roger Williams (R-TX25).   The House passed two sequester replacement bills since August that would have prevented today’s sequester, both of which were ignored by the Senate.

“Sequestration was President Obama’s idea,” said Carter. “He simply passed the buck onto Congress, never taking responsibility for the hype and panic caused by his lack of leadership. In absence of his direction, the House of Representatives stepped up to the plate, offering up two replacement bills that could have either helped with the affects of sequestration or prevented it altogether.”  Carter, Chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the House Army Caucus, blasted the Senate for failing to consider the bills or offer one of their own.  “Those two bills never made it through the Senate, who instead opted to dig their heels in sand and point fingers rather than come up with alternative solutions.”

“The Obama sequester is bad for America, bad for our military, and bad for Fort Hood,” said Williams, a member of the House Budget Committee.  “It is a shame that the president continues to spend taxpayer dollars like there is no limit, and then expect the military to foot the bill.  There is no denying that the government spends too much, but these indiscriminate cuts are irresponsible and the wrong approach to fix our nation’s fiscal problems.”

The United States Army reports the following, possible effects of sequester as related to Texas and the Fort Hood community.

NATIONAL:

  • The budget impact on Texas alone could be a loss of $2.4 billion.
  • More than 34-thousand jobs statewide could be affected.
  • Sequestration will impose a reduction of $12 billion on the Army’s budget.

FORT HOOD:

  • Fort Hood could see a direct reduction of $291 million.
  • Sequestration would include the furlough of up to 6,000 Department of the Army Civilian employees for up to 22 days.
    • Immediate cuts will target for airfield operations, fire and emergency services, and family services.
  • 380 civilian and temporary employees and 208 contractors at Fort Hood are scheduled to lose their jobs.
  • Military construction projects could be cancelled.

Chairman Carter and Congressman Williams are still urging President Obama and the Senate to negotiate on new funding levels to prevent the draconian cuts.  The House Appropriations Committee, of which Carter is a member, begins work next on a Continuing Resolution for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2013, which could establish new funding levels that overturn or lessen the sequestration cuts.

See the links below for more information on the two replacement bills from the House of Representatives to replace President Obama’s sequester.
H.R. 5652

 

For more news on the potential local impact, stayed tuned to our site. We will continue to follow the sequestration and its impact on Fort Hood, Killeen and Temple as the story develops.

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