Tagged: federal budget

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan's budget director says he doesn't expect automatic federal budget cuts scheduled to take effect Friday to start hitting state programs for a month.

John Nixon told The Associated Press on Tuesday he expects there will be "real cuts to real people."

But he says it's too early to know the true impact on jobs and Michigan residents, and he doesn't think the Obama administration knows yet either.

Federal dollars supply more than half Michigan's budget. Nixon says he's hearing from experts that cuts won't hit state government immediately because the federal budget is funded through March 27.

Big program like Medicaid and food stamps won't be affected. But Nixon says he's concerned about cuts to home heating assistance, food aid for low-income pregnant women and job training.
 

Not many people have the opportunity to speak directly with legislators about priorities within the federal budget, but Detroit area resident Mary Kate Cartmill is going to get that opportunity this week.

Cartmill has been chosen to meet on Capitol Hill this week with legislators to discuss the impact federal spending cuts will have on the poorest and most at-risk people here at home.

Michigan Radio's Cynthia Canty spoke with Cartmill about her upcoming experience.

You can listen to the full Stateside interview above.

President Obama and leaders in Congress will need to agree on a way to reduce the federal budget deficit to avoid automatic, sweeping cuts in January. There’s concern that the cuts could have a damaging effect on the economy and military programs.

The cuts are looming because Congress authorized the federal government to borrow more money last summer. In exchange, a bi-partisan super committee (Michigan Congressmen Dave Camp and Fred Upton served on the committee) was supposed to come up with a plan to cut the federal deficit. But that committee failed.

Congressman Justin Amash says, yeah, he called it.

"…That they would raise the debt ceiling, borrow more and then later on say ‘oh we don’t want to do these cuts’ and that’s exactly what’s happening,” Amash said.

Amash, who represents Michigan’s 3rddistrict, was the only Republican from Michigan to vote against what he says was a “phony plan” to begin with.

Former Michigan Governor John Engler says politicians in Washington need to make important decisions now, despite the general election coming in November.

Engler is now President of Business Roundtable, a national association of CEOs.

He says politicians have a lot of tough decisions to make to keep the U.S. competitive globally. That includes decisions on energy and education; but most importantly, he says, decisions about the tax code and the federal deficit. Engler says those decisions need to made as quickly as possible.

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow says she’s “disappointed” the congressional super committee did not come to an agreement to cut the federal budget deficit.

Stabenow chairs the Senate’s Agriculture committee. The committee (along with the House Agriculture Committee) came up with bipartisan recommendations to cut $23 billion from the Department of Agriculture.

“We have done what we were asked to do,” Stabenow said. “We chose a different way…and I hope that we will see more of that because that’s what our country needs.”

Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) is pushing for a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget. Amash shared his proposal with a group of college students Monday night and he’ll host a town hall meeting Tuesday night in Barry County.

Amash is one of 66 Republicans who voted against raising the debt ceiling back in August. He says he’d vote against a deal again if “it’s not very serious” about reducing federal spending. 

Congressman Fred Upton is looking for your ideas on how to reduce the federal budget deficit.

Upton is one of twelve lawmakers selected to serve on a special Congressional committee that will try to come up with a compromise on long-term spending.

Seven of the twelve lawmakers on the special committee will have to agree on a proposal in order to get it to the full Congress for approval. Last month, Upton called it “an enormous task.”