GOP Proposes Deep Domestic Spending Cuts
WASHINGTON (CBS4) - Republican leadership in the House announced Thursday they plan to cut domestic spending by roughly 20 percent to get the levels back to before President Barack Obama took office.
This could put agencies like NASA, a key industry to much of Florida, in the crosshairs for massive cuts and job layoffs. The White House warned that cuts to NASA may force the space agency to abandon the International Space Station.
The White House has vowed to fight the cuts which it said could lead to widespread layoffs of federal employees and force vulnerable people off of subsidized housing, reduce services in national parks, and slash aid to schools and local police and fire departments.
Republicans had pledged to cut $100 billion from Obama's budget, but since the current budget year is already under way, they'll fall short ending at roughly $58 billion under current plans.
The GOP said they will likely keep the Pentagon and the Departments of Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs budgets in place and possibly even given them small increases.
If the budget levels are returned to 2008 spending levels it could mean: the EPA would see a 41 percent cut for EPA clean water grants, an 8 percent cut to NASA's budget, a 16 percent cut to the FBI and a 13 percent cut in the operating budget of the national parks.
But, before NASA gets the axe, Congressmen and Senators from the Sunshine State, Texas and Alabama will likely fight tooth and nail any cuts to the space industry.
One other area that could be on the chopping block will be special education grants to states. The proposed cuts of 11 percent to the programs would mean a drop off of $1.4 billion. This would force school districts to either cuts services and teacher or make up the difference with local revenue.
