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Navy League of the United States. Sequestration 101. Navy League of the United States. Our Mission:
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Navy League of the United States Sequestration 101 Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States • Our Mission: • Educate the men and women in our local communities, our community leaders, and elected officials about the importance of our maritime forces to defend the United States and to protect global trade and our local economies • Support the men and women of the sea services and their families • Foster the education and development of our youth through the Naval Sea Cadet Corps and junior ROTC programs The Navy League needs your help to save the sea services—and more Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States • Sequestration in Every Zipcode • How many of you have heard of sequestration? • How many of you think sequestration will impact you? Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States • Sequestration in Every Zip Code • Everyone will be impacted by sequestration. • Every voter • Every child • Every teacher • Every parent • Every grandparent • EVERYONE! Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
What is Sequestration? • “An enforcement mechanism by which the President orders the cancellation of budgetary resources in amounts sufficient to eliminate a deficit.” – CBO • Budget Control Act of 2011(BCA): • Increased the debt ceiling & imposed ~$1 trillion budget cuts • $487 billion cut from Defense • $500 billion cut from the rest of the budget • Created Congressional “Super-Committee” to reduce deficit by an additional $1.2 trillion over ten years…or face sequestration • Broad Scope - - entitlements, revenue, discretionary spending • No agreement reached – sequestration is now the law • Across the board cuts begin January 2, 2013 • Severe consequences for U.S. economy, national security, and domestic programs Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Sequestration Mechanics Forces deficit reduction of $1.2T through FY 2021 • Sequestration results in $984B reduction over 9 years (slightly less than $1.2T due to interest savings) • Effective 2013 through 2021 (begins in Jan 2013) • Separate categories for “Defense” and “Non-Defense” • Equal “Across the Board” cuts – each program line is cut the same amount • Not able to prioritize good programs and cut wasteful ones, everything will be cut the same amount regardless Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States What Sequestration Means: • Cuts will automatically go into effect on January 1st, 2013 • Cuts will take a sledgehammer to the budget—everything could be cut equally, no one program can be saved • Government agencies are not currently planning for the cuts • Government bureaucrats will decide how to implement the cuts, Congress will cede control of the purse Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States How will this impact me? • Schools: • Cuts to grants for schools • Cuts to teacher training programs • 16,000 teachers will be cut • Travel: • Fewer air traffic controllers • Fewer aircraft safety inspectors • Fewer aircraft certification inspectors • Delayed and cancelled highway improvement projects • Fewer resources for American embassies abroad Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States How will this impact me? • America’s Outdoors • Cuts to the Coast Guard means fewer resources and older equipment for rescue operations • National Parks will have fewer rangers and resources, which means parks will close early, have longer lines, and poorer maintenance • Public Safety & Health • 3,700 FBI, ATF, DEA agents and US Marshals will be cut, impacting our ability to fight terrorism, drug gangs, human trafficking, and violent crime • More dangerous household products as the Consumer Product Safety Commission is cut • Cuts to NOAA Satellite and other meteorological services means less warning and preparation for natural disasters like tornados and hurricanes • Immunizations for 30,000 children and 20,000 adults will be cut Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States How will this impact me? • National Security • Smallest ground force since 1940 • Smallest fleet since 1915 -- fewer than 230 ships • Smallest tactical fighter force in history of Air Force • American Pride • Scientific research and exploration like the Mars rover will be cut • Research on cures for diseases will slow or stop entirely • Programs like the Special Olympics depend on federal funding and will suffer Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States How will this impact me? Jobs: • Companies cutting investments, slowing operations, and laying off workers • Political and economic uncertainty • Sequestration is just one part of coming fiscal changes that are impacting companies • Jobs and the Economy • Loss of over 1,000,000 private sector jobs (Deloitte/AIA study) • Increase unemployment by 0.6% (AIA study/Dr. Robert Fuller) • Cut projected GDP growth by 25% (AIA study/Dr. Robert Fuller) Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States Current Status • Congress still has not produced bipartisan legislation to stop sequestration • Proposed legislation offers solutions not palatable to the other side; compromise is needed to pass a bill • Industry is planning for the worst-case scenario and will be forced to lay off thousands of workers—up to one million jobs • We must tell Congress to ACT NOW! Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
How the Navy League Can Help • The only way to stop sequestration is through legislation in Congress • 2012 is an election year, making it harder to be heard • We must tell Congress to compromise on a bipartisan solution NOW! • You should call, email, write, or fax their Congressman and Senators—call and write often! • Letters to the editor and op-eds in the local paper will help get Congress’ attention • Please call NLUS HQ if you have trouble locating your Congressman and Senator’s contact information Navy League of the United States Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Message for Congress Now that you have your Congressman’s attention, what do you say? • Let them know sequestration is a voting issue • Tell them you know it will impact you and others in the district • These cuts will impact national security, public safety and health, economic prosperity, and jobs Navy League of the United States Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States In closing: • Everyone will feel the impacts of these cuts • The only way this can be stopped is through Congressional action and compromise • It’s an election year: you must contact your Congressman and Senators and tell them to find a bipartisan solution to stop sequestration • Call, write, email, visit, fax your Congressman and Senators! Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
Navy League of the United States Contact Navy League Headquarters Sara Fuentes: sfuentes@navyleague.org Chris Bennett: cbennett@navyleague.org Citizens in Support of the Sea Services