California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 14

Introduced by Assembly Member Atkins

February 27, 2013

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 14—Relative to sequestration.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AJR 14, as introduced, Atkins. Sequestration.

This measure would request the Congress of the United States to, among other things, act immediately to avert federal spending cuts known as “sequestration” to protect the California and national economies.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Without congressional action, a series of onerous
across-the-board cuts called “sequestration” will severely
compromise the nation’s and California’s emerging economic
recovery and negatively impact California’s workers, families,
and communities; and

WHEREAS, Through sequestration California will see a
reduction in education funding of approximately $87.6 million,
putting nearly 2,000 primary and secondary education teacher and
aide classroom positions at risk, including those of 760 teachers,
aides, and staff who help children with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, California’s extensive military defense industry
will be devastated with the loss of approximately 64,000 civilian
Department of Defense jobs, and operational reductions by the
Army, Air Force, and Navy totaling more than $69 million; and

WHEREAS, Studies show that California will lose 336,000
defense-related jobs across the state and more than $21 billion in
economic output if the $4 billion in additional sequestration cuts
are imposed on the state; and

WHEREAS, The nation’s returning veterans will experience a
reduction in the federal Transition Assistance Program, which
serves more than 150,000 veterans, leaving thousands of
transitioning veterans unserved as they move from active duty to
civilian life; and

WHEREAS, The Secretary of the Department of Homeland
Security warns that the automatic budget reduction mandated by
sequestration would be disruptive and destructive to our nation’s
security and economy by effectively closing many of California’s
ports and border crossings during daily peak activity due to the
reduction in customs and border protection officers; and

WHEREAS, The Federal Aviation Administration would be hit
with a $600-million cut, forcing a reduction in core functions
leading to furloughs of one to two days for most of its 47,000
employees, resulting in slower air traffic in California’s major
cities and delays and disruptions across the country during the
critical summer travel season; and

WHEREAS, The specter of losing up to 2,100 food inspectors
as a result of sequester cuts could lead to increased outbreaks of
food-borne illness, presenting a serious threat to the public and
putting families at risk and costing billions in lost food production;
and

WHEREAS, The sequester cuts will result in significant negative
impacts to public health and safety, including losing access to child
care for disadvantaged and vulnerable children, which is essential
for working parents, more than 15,000 children in California not
receiving vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella,
and tetanus, and California’s ability to respond to the outbreak of
public health threats such as infectious diseases, natural disasters,
and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events will be
diminished; and

WHEREAS, A long-term, bipartisan compromise that averts
sequestration will protect the California and national economies
and provide a balanced and thoughtful budget solution; now,
therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly,That the Legislature urges the Congress of the
United States to avert federal spending cuts known as
“sequestration” to protect the California and national economies;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California urges
the Congress of the United States to act immediately to avert the
economic crisis that would result from the onerous across-the-board
federal spending cuts in education and public health and safety,
which will prevent the job losses and threats to our security that
would result from cuts to our national defense and honor and secure
the welfare of the veterans’ programs serving the men and women
who defend our county; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of the of the State of California
urges the Congress of the United States to pursue a balanced
approach in seeking to close wasteful tax loopholes to protect the
investments that are helping grow our economy and keep our state
and nation safe; and be in further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the
Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and
Representative from California in the Congress of the United
States.