A coalition of 31 organizations representing more than 5.5 million American troops and veterans says failure to stop automatic military cuts required by the Budget Control Act would be “catastrophic.”

The group says the cuts would “require massive force reductions of more than 200,000,” while threatening the “compensation, health care, and other support commitments” made “to generations of servicemembers, families, and survivors” at a time of high unemployment and stagnant wages.

The Defending Defense Coalition agrees, arguing the cuts “must be stopped.” “[U]nits preparing to fight in Afghanistan and operate elsewhere in the world” would feel the effects of the cuts “almost immediately.”

Unfortunately, President Obama has yet to propose a plan of his own for preventing these cuts – even though his administration admits they would “hollow out” and “inflict severe damage” on our armed forces. Instead, he’s touring the country picking fake fights, and promoting political gimmicks and tax hikes that would raise energy prices and hurt job growth.

The House Budget Committee meets today to consider legislation replacing these military cuts with common-sense spending reductions that will reduce the deficit and protect hardworking taxpayers. Learn more here.