During an event hosted today by the local chapter for Women in Defense, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) outlined the harm that sequestration continues to have on the defense industry and other economic engines across the country and in Tampa Bay. Many members present at the event knew all too well the negative impacts of sequester cuts and expressed their experiences and concerns with job cutbacks, reduced training for preparedness, and losing top talent to other communities.

“The defense industry has helped transform our community over the years into one of the most exciting places to live. It is a widespread sector of large and small businesses, and top contractors and talent are tied to MacDill Air Force Base, Special Operations Command and Central Command,” Rep. Castor said during her remarks at the event, while some commented that “cheap is expensive” and shared the difficulties the sequester has caused on their businesses and families. 

“The technologies we have developed right here in the Tampa Bay area over the  past decade have improved our military capabilities by leaps and bounds. But that growth is at risk because of the hard liners in Congress who will not compromise on the budget and insist upon the sequester.  This approach stalls economic expansion across the country and in the Tampa Bay area.”

Sequestration has meant a $470 billion cut in defense spending over 10 years, starting in 2013. Continued irrational sequester cuts will hurt local small businesses. Such cuts could force the military to reduce the size of the U.S. Army by 20 percent, eliminate U.S. Air Force bombers and transport planes, and cut as many as 33,000 from the Marine Corps. In addition, the recent government shutdown and economic uncertainty furloughed 1,500 at MacDill AFB and jeopardized $9 million in commercial contracts in the Tampa Bay area.

Sequestration has also harmed other economic engines in Tampa Bay, such as education and research. Up to 1,200 fewer children in Florida will be served by Head Start, Hillsborough County Public Schools took a blow with $10 million in across-the-board reductions, and a $1.7 billion cut in 2013 to the National Institutes of Health has threatened existing and future innovations at the University of South Florida and Moffitt Cancer Center. 

“We need a balanced approach to promote economic growth and smart fiscal policy. Fortunately, the deficit is at the lowest level in 10 years. But the sequester is cutting important investments for our country that help us create jobs and get the economy moving.”

Rep. Castor warned:  “Up until now sequester cuts have impacted discretionary spending, but if it continues, in fiscal year 2014 the bulk of the cuts will come down on defense and national security. In addition, this unreasonable approach does not give the Department of Defense the flexibility it needs in a world that is changing rapidly. We cannot balance the budget on sequester alone and the Republicans will have to compromise or else risk greater economic damage than they already have inflicted.

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