On Thursday, December 5^th, Congressman Henry Cuellar released the following statement calling for an end to the damaging, 10 year sequester to boost economic growth and create jobs in 2014:

“I call on my colleagues Chairman Ryan and Chairwoman Murray to focus on ending the damaging sequester cuts as part of their discussions.  The sequester has had an immensely harmful impact on our economy, stunting growth, cutting key services to veterans and seniors, and blocking the creation of jobs. 

We must certainly find ways to balance the federal budget and reduce wasteful spending.  However, I believe that we cannot balance the budget on the backs of students, seniors, and the middle class.  Democrats and Republicans must put all options on the table and start to make some of the tough choices.  Even if we cannot reach a grand bargain on spending before the continuing resolution expires in February, we cannot allow the country to continue to suffer from the irrational cuts of the sequester. 

During the first year of the sequester, federal agencies had the flexibility to move around funds and cover gaps in revenue.  During the second year, they will not have that option and the cuts will hurt more.  A few key negative impacts include:

·         A 1.2 percent cut to GDP in 2014 and loss of 4,400 jobs a day or 1.6 million jobs over the year

·         Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) funding cut would serve 214,000 fewer eligible applicants than 2013.

·         22% overall cut education programs would result in 240,000 fewer children with access to Head Start and Early Head Start

·         Continues steady decline in Army Corps of Engineers construction on water resource infrastructure, despite $60 billion backlog of authorized projects.

·         The sequester level puts economic growth at risk by requiring a defense cut of $47.75 billion – the armed forces would lose readiness capability due to fiscal uncertainty and funds for operations & maintenance, procurement, research & development, and health care for injured service members would be cut

In my home state of Texas, the second year of the sequester will have an even more damaging effect.  Sequester cuts would almost certainly cause furloughs for federal workers across the State of Texas, including border patrol agents, civilian employees and contractors in bases across the state, and others.  These furloughs could cut the federal services that Texans receive, cut paychecks of Texas federal workers, and cause delays at land ports of entry would slow down trade and commerce and negatively affect Texas businesses.  My hometown of Laredo is the largest inland port in the country, handling 45 percent of U.S. trade with Mexico.  Further delays at the border because of furloughs are unacceptable and harmful to trade and our relationship with our southern neighbor.”