Mike Fitzpatrick To Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvanians became increasingly clear. And Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick’s message to the Pennsylvania middle class families, students, seniors, soldiers, law enforcement officials and job seekers who will be affected? Tough luck.
In Pennsylvania alone:
- Approximately 26,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed;
- Nearly 5,280 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and tetanus due to reduced vaccination funding;
- Up to 1,000 fewer victims of domestic violence will be served due to cuts in Violence Against Women Act funding; and
- There will be a loss of approximately $849,000 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.
“Pennsylvania 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, Mike Fitzpatrick should be standing up for middle class Pennsylvania families.”