Michael Grimm To New York Students, Seniors, Soldiers: Tough Luck
February 26, 2013
Washington, D.C. – With just four days remaining until the March 1 sequester deadline, the effect of those mandatory cuts on New Yorkers became increasingly clear. And Rep. Michael Grimm’s message to the New York middle class families, students, seniors, soldiers, law enforcement officials and job seekers who will be affected? Tough luck.
In New York alone:
- Approximately 12,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed;
- Nearly 7,170 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and tetanus due to reduced vaccination funding;
- Up to 1,600 fewer victims of domestic violence served due to cuts in Violence Against Women Act funding; and
- The loss of nearly $1.5 million in funds that provide meals for seniors.
Nationwide, sequestration could mean longer airport security lines, fewer FBI agents, a meat & poultry shortage, reduced first-responder capacity, smaller unemployment checks, closed national parks – and the loss of up to 2 million jobs.
“New York families, seniors, students and law enforcement officials are just days away from facing devastating cuts foisted being upon them by a dysfunctional Tea Party Republican Congress that refuses to ask the wealthy to pay just a little bit more,” said Alixandria Lapp, Executive Director of House Majority PAC. “Instead of allowing these damaging cuts to go into effect, Michael Grimm should be standing up for middle class New York families.”