Sequestration's impact on public health funding

In 2011, Congress passed the Budget Control Act which established caps on defense and nondefense discretionary programs such as public health, environmental protection, law enforcement, transportation etc., that will reduce this funding by $1 trillion over 10 years. The BCA also requires another $1 trillion in cuts to nearly all government programs because Congress failed to come up with a balanced deficit reduction plan. Known as "sequestration” this rigid budgetary tool will force automatic, across-the-board cuts to programs including public health. These cuts wil begin to talke effect on March 1, 2013 unless Congress acts to stop them.

To find out more about sequestration and public health, please review the resources below. 

• OMB report to Congress on FY 2013 sequestration (March 1)
• White House state fact sheets (via Washington Post, Feb. 24)
• White House fact sheet (Feb. 8)
• HHS letter to Senate Appropriations Committee (Feb. 1)
• Report on sequestration impacts by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Feb. 20)
• House Appropriations Committee Democrats report on sequestration impacts (Feb. 13)

Send a message to your representative and senators urging them to find a bipartisan and balanced approach to deficit reduction that does not further cut critical public health programs.

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