President Obama Authorizes Massive Budget Cuts
By: Vanessa Herring
Updated: March 1, 2013
The federal government will be cut by $85 billion this year and more than $100 billion each of the nine years after that. That means furloughs at the Pentagon and in the civilian workforce for the Department of Defense.
There will also be cuts in reimbursements for doctors who treat Medicare patients, cuts in home heating assistance, unemployment insurance, and at airports across the country.
While the cuts are massive, financial analyst George Conboy says they won't effect the day to day lives of most Americans, yet, "if you're receiving social security, veterans benefits, or head start, or have some regular involvement with the federal government you're not likely to see a change," explained Conboy, "but if you have a problem or an issue with the federal government there's likely to be less staff to help you solve that problem."
However, those in one of the most vulnerable populations in the community will feel the cuts. Sequestration will lead to $20 million of cuts from the Violence Against Women Act, across the country.
"That removes essential tools from law enforcement such as training on domestic violence, the legal community in terms of supports for orders of protection," explained Jaime Saunders, the CEO of Alternatives for Battered Women, "and then that directly impacts those that we serve at Alternatives for Battered Women
New York state will see an immediate $410,000 loss in funding for domestic violence programs. That means 1,200 fewer victims will be served, "we have 6,000 reported incidents of domestic violence and that's under reported," explained Saunders, "because you can imagine because under fear and just coming forward out of the shadows to report, it's under served."
The cuts will make it harder for victims to sever ties with their abusers and move on, "the safety net is damaged, that means access to food stamps, that means access to supported housing and transitional housing, and all those tools they need to successfullyleave their abusers and successfully land and rebuild their lives," said Saunders.
Just when domestic violence advocates say they took one big step forward with the Violence Against Women Act, sequestration knocked them two steps back, "it took over 18 months to get the Violence Against Women Act passed, it expands protections so that everybody is covered from the L.B.G.T.Q. community to Native Americans and immigrants that were left out in earlier bills so that's a great win," explained Saunders, "and yet the sequester is chipping away at that victory within 24 hours."
There will also be cuts in reimbursements for doctors who treat Medicare patients, cuts in home heating assistance, unemployment insurance, and at airports across the country.
While the cuts are massive, financial analyst George Conboy says they won't effect the day to day lives of most Americans, yet, "if you're receiving social security, veterans benefits, or head start, or have some regular involvement with the federal government you're not likely to see a change," explained Conboy, "but if you have a problem or an issue with the federal government there's likely to be less staff to help you solve that problem."
However, those in one of the most vulnerable populations in the community will feel the cuts. Sequestration will lead to $20 million of cuts from the Violence Against Women Act, across the country.
"That removes essential tools from law enforcement such as training on domestic violence, the legal community in terms of supports for orders of protection," explained Jaime Saunders, the CEO of Alternatives for Battered Women, "and then that directly impacts those that we serve at Alternatives for Battered Women
New York state will see an immediate $410,000 loss in funding for domestic violence programs. That means 1,200 fewer victims will be served, "we have 6,000 reported incidents of domestic violence and that's under reported," explained Saunders, "because you can imagine because under fear and just coming forward out of the shadows to report, it's under served."
The cuts will make it harder for victims to sever ties with their abusers and move on, "the safety net is damaged, that means access to food stamps, that means access to supported housing and transitional housing, and all those tools they need to successfullyleave their abusers and successfully land and rebuild their lives," said Saunders.
Just when domestic violence advocates say they took one big step forward with the Violence Against Women Act, sequestration knocked them two steps back, "it took over 18 months to get the Violence Against Women Act passed, it expands protections so that everybody is covered from the L.B.G.T.Q. community to Native Americans and immigrants that were left out in earlier bills so that's a great win," explained Saunders, "and yet the sequester is chipping away at that victory within 24 hours."
