Spending cuts threaten Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- Lawmakers are locked in a standoff over spending cuts.

On Friday, $85 billion worth of automatic spending cuts will kick in unless Congress reaches a deal to avoid the sequester.

"Across the board cuts are going to have a real negative impact on the economy which means it's going to cut jobs," Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) told Eyewitness News Sunday.

• PDF: Sequester's Impact on RI  (White House)
• PDF: Sequester's Impact on Mass.  (White House)

The sequester would slash defense programs and force furloughs for some government employees.

The White House released state-by-state impacts of the potential cuts, saying Rhode Island would lose:

• $2.4 million in funding for primary and secondary education
• $68 thousand in law enforcement and public safety funds
• $126 thousand dollars in funding for job search assistance

Many Republicans are not confident a deal will be reached soon.

"The question is why won't he work with us? And the answer, quite simply is because he wants higher taxes," Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) said.