Starting March 1, draconian federal budget cuts (a.k.a. “sequestration”) are set to go into effect. These cuts mean that fewer low-income women and children will receive the supports they need from programs like Head Start and the Child Care and Development Block Grant as well as education, family planning, job training programs, and more. And thousands of teachers, nurses, counselors and others who provide these services will lose their jobs.
Many more programs that women and families depend on would be cut, including food safety inspections and research into life-saving medical treatments. These are not just statistics — they represent real people whose lives that will suffer because of these cuts.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Congress can stop these senseless cuts — and replace them with a balanced approach to deficit reduction that includes raising revenues by closing tax loopholes and helping our economy grow by making smart investments in our future.