Defense industry group focuses on jobs as sequestration looms

A release accompanying the report says it’s part of a
campaign to educate the public and elected officials about the danger of
sequestration.

“Sequestration threatens to devastate our industry’s
contributions to America’s bottom line,” AIA President and CEO Marion Blakey
said in a statement. “This report sends the clear reminder that sequestration
is a local, community issue, the jobs at stake are not here in Washington, D.C.
Over 1 million American jobs and the security of our nation are at stake.”

{mosads}The 1 million jobs figure comes from a previous report —
which was greeted with some
skepticism
— that AIA released in October when the congressional supercommittee was still trying to hash out a deal
on the deficit that never came, setting the sequestration wheels in place.

Republicans in Congress have proposed delaying the sequester
for both defense and non-defense discretionary spending for one year by cutting
federal workers, a plan opposed by Democrats.

The Republicans have urged Congress to deal with sequester
now, and not after the election, because they say the defense industry will
have to start preparing for the potential cuts now. Most members have said they
don’t expect a deal before November.