Despite months of warnings that across-the-board spending cuts could devastate the still-recovering U.S. economy, lawmakers on Friday were unable to strike a deal that would avoid slashing $85 billion from the national budget.
California stands to lose $500 million under sequestration, including in funding for schools, the military and disability services, according to a report released by the White House earlier this week.
The cuts would trim $87.6 million in federal funding for primary and secondary education, and $62.9 million from special education, the Obama Administration’s report said.
About 10,000 college work-study jobs be eliminated, along with spots for 8,200 children in the public preschool programs Head Start and Early Head Start, the White House report said.
More: Specifics on how California will be affected
In addition, 64,000 civilian defense employees would be furloughed for some period of time, and army base operations would lose about $54 million in California, the report said.
About $3 million in funds for job support for the unemployed would also be affected.
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The steep cuts, put into place in 2011 as a way to dissuade the ever-feuding Democrats and Republicans in Washington from refusing to reach a deal, have become known in political jargon as "sequester cuts," or "sequestration."
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