REP. SANFORD BISHOP JOINS SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS, SEN. JOHNNY ISAKSON DISCUSS IMPACT OF MILITARY SEQUESTER ON COLUMBUS, ALBANY

ALBANY, COLUMBUS; GA – Yesterday, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) joined Senator Saxby Chambliss, Senator Johnny Isakson, Major General David Bockel, the Albany Chamber of Commerce, and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce in discussing the impact of the defense sequester on the greater Albany and Columbus communities. After meeting with the leaders of Fort Benning, Georgia National Guard, and Marine Corps Logistics Base, public forums were held on the defense sequester in both Albany and Columbus.

The threat of a pending defense sequester comes after the failure of last year’s Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or “The Supercommittee”, to enact a deficit reduction plan for $1.2 trillion over the next ten years. The threat of mutually disagreeable cuts to both defense and non-defense programs was designed to keep both Republicans and Democrats at the negotiating table to reach a compromise agreement.

“The defense sequester is an unwise and destructive policy that was never meant to happen in the first place,” said Congressman Bishop. “The potential impact of these cuts in Southwest Georgia could be significant, causing a ripple effect throughout the local economy, leading to greater unemployment and reduced profits for local businesses.”

If no further deficit reduction agreement is reached before January 2, 2013, the sequestration will take effect. For Fiscal Year 2013 alone, a $109 billion cut in discretionary spending will be required, around half of which will come from national defense programs. According to a recent report by the National Association of Manufacturers, defense cuts resulting from sequester would destroy one million jobs by 2014, of which 38,700 would be in Georgia.

“There is still time for Congress to come together and hammer out a balanced, bipartisan agreement that will prevent sequestration, reduce the deficit, strengthen our nation’s military, and grow the economy for the future,” continued Congressman Bishop. “In order to do so, we have to put our country first and resist partisanship. The Cities of Columbus and Albany, the State of Georgia, and the entire nation are looking to us to do the right thing.”

For pictures of today’s events in Albany, please click here.

For pictures of today’s events in Columbus, please click here.