Yesterday, Senator Harkin, as Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, and Related Agencies, released the first comprehensive report on the potential impact of sequestration on dozens of education, health and labor programs under the subcommittee's jurisdiction. The report provides national and state-by-state estimates of the number of jobs that could be lost and the number of individuals who could be affected by cuts in services if sequestration went into effect on Jan. 2, 2013.
Harkin's report, "Under Threat: Sequestration's Impact on Nondefense Jobs and Services," can be found here.
"Some members of Congress warn that defense contracting firms will lay off employees if sequestration goes into effect. They say nothing of the tens of thousands of teachers, police officers and other public servants in communities all across America who would also lose their jobs. A laid-off teacher is just as unemployed as a laid-off defense contractor," said Harkin. "This report proves why we need a balanced approach to deficit reduction that not only prevents sequestration, but protects America's families."
Among the highlights of the report:
· States and local communities would lose $2.7 billion in federal funding for just three critical education programs alone - Title I, special education State grants, and Head Start - that serve a combined 30.7 million children. Nationwide, these cuts would force roughly 46,000 employees to either lose their jobs or rely on cash-strapped states and localities to pick up their salaries instead.
Ø In Iowa: 156 Head Start jobs would be lost and 747 fewer children served.
Ø In Iowa: cuts to Title I Grants to local educational agencies would mean 105 education jobs lost, 8,991 fewer students served, and 58 fewer schools receiving grants.
Ø In Iowa: cuts to Improving Teacher Quality State Grants would mean 1,470 fewer teachers receiving professional development.
· In health, approximately 660,000 fewer people would be tested for HIV, 49,000 fewer women would be screened for cancer, and 212,000 fewer children would be vaccinated.
Ø In Iowa: cuts to HIV Prevention and Testing would mean 2,386 fewer people tested for HIV.
Ø In Iowa: 619 fewer women screened for cancer.
Ø In Iowa: 2,055 fewer children would receive MMR, Tdap, flu and Hepatitis B vaccinations.
· At a time when the unemployment rate is still above 8 percent, 1.6 million fewer adults, dislocated workers and at-risk youth would receive job training, education and employment services; and the families of 80,000 fewer children would receive child care subsidies, making it harder for parents to find work.
Ø In Iowa: 11,257 fewer jobseekers receiving employment services.
Ø In Iowa: 496 fewer veterans receiving job assistance.
For more information, please call Kate Frischmann in Senator Harkin's press office at (202) 224-3254.
