The Budget Control Act of 2011 - created under the deal to raise the debt ceiling - brought us the first round of sequestration in March 2013. But few people may realize that the same act set caps on total defense and non-defense discretionary spending that ratchet down each year through 2021. If Congress fails to agree on appropriations bills that conform to these caps - as seems increasingly likely - another round of across-the-board cuts will take effect 15 days after Congress adjourns for the year, presumably in January 2014. These cuts are likely to be more painful than the 2013 cuts because agencies are likely to have exhausted any carry-over funds from previous years to cushion the blow. Most Republicans want to save defense spending by replacing the sequester with cuts to the mandatory spending programs, such as Social Security, Medicaid and SNAP, which are not affected by the sequester.
Source: Center for Law and Social Policy, 8/27/13, Sequester II
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