White House details sequester impacts to Montana
The Obama administration issued fact sheets last week for each of the nation’s 50 states breaking down the financial impacts if automatic budget cuts go into effect on March 1.
Nationwide impacts, according to the White House, would include cuts to FBI and other law enforcement; Customs and Border Control; FDA and food inspections; FAA and aviation safety, including air traffic controllers; TSA and airport security; FEMA and funding for local and state emergency responders; research by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, FDA and other agencies; EPA and enforcement of clean air and water laws; nutrition programs for seniors, and for women with infants and children; programs to protect women from violence; economic programs, including SBA loans, oil and gas permitting, and economic development assistance; reduction or elimination of services at national parks; assistance for homeless, and rentals and childcare for low income families; and public health programs for AIDS and HIV treatment and prevention, and mental health and substance abuse.
Impacts to Montana would include about $1.5 million in cuts to primary and secondary education; about $1.9 million in cuts for 20 teachers, aides and staff for children with disabilities; cuts for about 200 children in Head Start and Early Head Start programs; cut in assistance to about 80 low-income students paying for college; about $1.2 million in cuts to environmental protection programs for clean water and air; about $1.2 million in cuts to grants for fish and wildlife protection; about $66,000 in cuts to grants for law enforcement, prosecutors and courts; about $229,000 in cuts for job search assistance; cuts for about 100 disadvantaged children needing child care; about $29,000 in cuts for vaccinations; about $95,000 in cuts for public health threats; about $330,000 in cuts to grants for substance abuse treatment; about $50,000 in cuts for 1,300 HIV tests; about $20,000 in cuts for victims of domestic violence; and about $226,000 in cuts for meals to seniors.