Despite months of warnings that across-the-board spending cuts could devastate the still-recovering U.S. economy, lawmakers on Friday were unable to strike a deal that would avoid slashing $85 billion from the national budget.
California stands to lose $500 million under sequestration, including in funding for schools, the military and disability services, according to a report released by the White House earlier this week.
The cuts would trim $87.6 million in federal funding for primary and secondary education, and $62.9 million from special education, the Obama Administration’s report said.
About 10,000 college work-study jobs be eliminated, along with spots for 8,200 children in the public preschool programs Head Start and Early Head Start, the White House report said.
In addition, 64,000 civilian defense employees would be furloughed for some period of time, and army base operations would lose about $54 million in California, the report said.
About $3 million in funds for job support for the unemployed would also be affected.
The steep cuts, put into place in 2011 as a way to dissuade the ever-feuding Democrats and Republicans in Washington from refusing to reach a deal, have become known in political jargon as "sequester cuts," or "sequestration."
