E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSDepartment of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano warns that the U.S. can't maintain the same level of security with sequester cuts – House Majority Leader Eric Cantor later dismissed her warning as rhetoric.
With less than five days to go before the so-called sequester forces across-the-board federal budget cuts, members of the president’s cabinet warned how cuts to their departments would affect Americans’ everyday lives.
Monday’s distress signals from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano came a day after two other cabinet leaders admonished Congress for some of the most high-profile consequences of the sequester, like cuts to education and air traffic control.
Salazar warned that the department would not be able to hire the seasonal workers needed to maintain national parks through the peak summer tourism season, meaning some favorite destinations might be off-limits.
“The public should be prepared for reduced hours and services not only in national parks but across all of the facilities which are managed by the Department of the Interior,” he said in a conference call with reporters. He added, “This will include reduced hours of operation for visitor centers, shorter seasons and closing of campgrounds, hiking trails and other recreational areas."
Like Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Friday, Napolitano appeared in the White House Briefing Room, where she responded to the question of whether the country would be "less safe after the sequester."
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood discusses how the looming spending cuts will affect air travel.
"I don't think we can maintain the same level of security at all places around the country with sequester as without sequester," she said.
She stressed that cuts to her department would mean longer airport delays. “If you're traveling by air, you're going to have to start getting to the airport earlier. And if you're trying to make a connecting flight, you're going to have to make your arrangements to give you greater time with which to do that."
The former Arizona governor also warned of furloughed border protection officers, which would “affect our ability to keep out illegal migrants” and the government’s diminished ability to respond to national emergencies.
“Threats from terrorism and the need to respond and recover from natural disasters do not diminish because of budget cuts,” she said.
LaHood and Education Secretary Arne Duncan were dispatched to the Sunday talk shows to criticize Congress for the cuts scheduled to hit their departments.
Leave a Comment:
"We have to close the loopholes"....
Excuse me....are ther $17,000,000,000,000 worth of jets/yacht loopholes Mr. President?
And this guy went to Harvard ?....oh yeah...it was an "honorary degree".....
NOBODY has ever seen the report card.....too funny
too damn funny pay for you damn wars..there your damn loop hole
what what.what did i hear...I hear silence of the lamb
1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TRILLION dollars Payne.....
let's just close the loopholes on all private jets and yachts....you're an idiot
oh thats right just jets?????
Payne.....you are in way over your head....go back to playin video games son
let me say this again pay your bills..pay for your wars
that will be in 2014.
Payne....maybe you can "clean up" the President after some of these $500,000 lapdances....
you'll be good at that.
bring your own paper towels
Ha-ha.....what a mess
sorry touble im not a secret homo..republican
Elvis
After 4 years I think it is your war now... 1/2 a million buys a president Awesome... Pay to play president...
Elvis no rich fat cats influencing him right?
You Idiot.
this is less than the $1.2 trillion they continue to add to the debt each year so whats the problem they are still spending way more than they are cutting. Get ready to take another pay cut and be sure to thank you party because they are both united in giving you the shaft.
The whole administration is nothing but a bunch of lying fear-mongering idiots! They just keep trying to scare everyone with the Liar-in-Chiefs bullchit. 83 billion is a drop in the bucket. Go Sequester--it's exactly what the Country needs.
Roll out the barrels...
Great job Obummer, send your "Yes" dopes out to ah to ah do ah what??
When is this phucking moron going to stop campaigning???
Odigbat, higher taxes, more government spending, and no job growth......
What a way to go...
I bet Obama promised to cut money from all GOP states. From a pay to play president I'm not surprised. Got half a millions get what you want from Obama and party.... Millions for you in government contracts...
As much of an idiot as Donald Trump has proven to be.......
He looks like Einstein compared to the leadership I am seeing right now...
Tom Coburn, and Bob Woodward are the only consistently sane men I have heard in the last 6 months.....
Here's the idiot list....(check them off)
I am thoroughly disgusted with both sides....but the PRESIDENT is supposed to be the smartest guy in the room.....
The "honorary Harvard degree" is not worth the paper we can't see......he is horrible.
If Armageddon DOESN'T HAPPEN with the sequester (and it won't)....
Our President will look like a freakin' idiot....(no surprise there)
Either way....it's on him
It's so reassuring that no one in Washington actually planned ahead for potential budget cuts.
sequester what is that we have private contractors in the military..we cant do that..thats our mojo Republicans money.hahaha
The tea nut governors have shook off the dog hair...sooooooooooo funny..lets compromise..because we are losing.the battle.hahahaha
Payne.....you are falling further and further behind this conversation.....maybe should pull into the pits and get 4 fresh tires....you are at least 2 laps behind the rest of us.
tell me is it true???left behind
trouble that's right sequester means...when the tea nuts hoard all there wealth while America starves
four tires Payne
you cant fight truth buddy..
(Smile)...I am done with you...again....
Game
Set
Match.....
Who's got next, I am done with this guy
good come back when you have truth
After listening to the President, his Cabinet, and the MSM, has anyone noticed that the areas that won't be affected by the sequester are the salaries, benefits, and job security for the White House or anyone on Capitol Hill? They'll be just fine, but not so much for the American people. We have to abide by all of the Obamacare rules and regulations, but they don't. Starting to see a trend here??
yep tea nuts approved it while they froze government employees...the one they don't like
Payne...you look more like Janet Napolitano with every passing day.....
are you taking hormones ?
@just:....yeah, the people getting hurt are soooo convenient
yeah....you want the truth..nah
you see the truth in is saying huh trouble
a trend of non-stop bullshiat from obama the ass....not a new trend though....
Hi Elvis - wait 'til Obamacare really kicks into high gear in 2014, hold on to your wallet. Don't blame me, I didn't vote for Barry.
sorry you just told the truth
Nice try Elvis, another swing and a miss. You may want to leave the Obamaville city limits once in awhile and expand your horizons. We'll slow down so you can catch up.
dont worry I live in Texas..there is a big sky
obama is a liar and a distorter..........this is more dog and pony bullshiat from obama the ass......
oh God the dumb azz remarks..the man who thinks he is funny...like ANN Coulter who, laughs..at the wall..laughs at everything???must be your wife.or he she wife
@mcpaddy,
obama is a liar
Resorting to name calling is the surest sign that you've lost the argument...
...and you just lost it right at the rip.
mcpaddywack
President Obama does not lie, he just evolves.
@M.J.
President Obama does not lie, he just evolves.
Do you deny Darwinism?
I LOVE seeing Obama in 2007. 2009, 2010 saying all of this stuff....
"We're going to be the most transparent"....stop man
"Your taxes won't go up a dime"....WHAT ?
Every meeting will be on C-Span.....OMG that's funny
"Today is the day the oceans recede and the planet....just stop right there.....ha-ha
Nobody will have access to....oops, that changed today (if you have $500,000 for a Moochelle lapdance)
Ladies & Gentlemen....The Liar-In-chief", remember this all started with the "honorary degree from Harvard"
just think...if the Savior did not win...and we had Romney..Ryan..Norquest..the devils in the white house...now what did the 3 promise..that America did not want??
Payne...you just proved my point....
Did you just spell "savior" with a capital "S" ????
Do you think this guy is Jesus Payne ? ??????
Do you ?
Ladies & Gentlemen.....we are so screwed
The left thinks he is Jesus....OMG....that is funny
go back up and read your comment...oh that's right you tea nuts forget history..even when a minute past
my bad
Payne....a capital "S" on savior....really ?....OMG
why yes Hannity calls him that...soooo
So....you DO AGREE with Hannity....closet Republican Payne ?
This is a slowing of the rate of increase for everything but defense.
People need to calm down. I bet the President is really worried that the sky doesn't fall if the cuts happen, it would prove that you can cut spending without the world collapsing.
Jon Corzine is playing golf in Hawaii, Obama's boy Holder is carrying his golf bag....
But Obama is almost due for another vacation Eric......just shine both pairs of shoes, that way you'll be ready tomorrow no matter who is playing.....too funny
where is that dumb azz bush right now
Elvis...you have some weird obsession with Bush...it really is unhealthy.
you tea nuts have a weird obsession of who is Bush
elvis still living in the past, is that your antenna on your head to bring in the liberal late night comedy news?
hey dumb azz history we have to pay for yes its called debt..bet you have no antenna?/just a dumb azz
DEBT ?.....7 Trillion in 4 1/2 years ....that, my friends.....is debt
The shear hyperbole coming out of the President and his team is funny.
The world will not end if these cuts happen. It would be better if we gave the defense department some flexibility in where to make cuts, without congressman pushing for this or that program.
I bet you all didn't know that the Government forces its suppliers to pay more for their raw materials, just to "spread the wealth"
85 billion lets see drop 50 billion in foreign aid now it's down to 35 billion, next close Andrews AFB Obama will have to do his "Self Sacrificing" multi-million dollar vacation thing without Air Force One and no base to golf on. But we know Obama is not the Self Sacrificing type except when it comes to eating his dog.
everyone go and see Obama 2016 before its to late???hahahahahaha
Elvis Obama wants you to "Self Sacrifice" you need to obey the leader, do it now
True.
Obama is a POS that should be tried and imprisoned as a traitor.
He is the worst president ever and his main goal is to destroy this country.
how many times have we heard that oh i mean years 4 years..he won on a bad economy .black..bad mouth for 4 years from the tea nuts..and still won...hahahahahaha
yep worst president than carter.one term ..Obama.with a second win now thats bad...hahaha
Elvis: A chameleon can change its colors and you will get yours when Odumbo SH!TS on you.
hey dumb azz 8 years is not what you call bad??
Elvis: You have no clue about what runs the economy. All you care about is your welfare checks.
Get a life child because I am done with such a idiot as yourself.
In some of your earlier posts you have said you were a airline pilot, a stock broker and a Vietnam veteran. You can't make up a story for every post and expect people to believe it.
GET A LIFE!!
that's the problem with you tea nuts who ever you disagree with we collect welfare...get a life
elvis has you beat on this one, Doug. Beginning your argument with calling the President a traitor makes the remainder of your opinions inconsequential.
The majority of the electorate spoke....twice. Your guy lost....twice.
thank you
The only thing that Elvis has beat is his tiny little pee pee with his lies.
He always changes his occupation to make himself sound important. Just like a idiot that would call themselves MSNBC.
LAME!!!
dougj im not the smartes man on the block..but i know what right and wrong is..now see. I put my self down
Elvis: Please use a bullet if you are really going to put yourself down.
And by the way the end with the hole in it should be pointed towards your head.
And you are correct you are not the smartest man on the block. Smartest isn't spelled SMARTES.
It's okay to accept that your side is riding off into the sunset, Doug. We wish you well. You had a good ride...albeit years ago.....circa 1952-1959.
I can't believe that everyone here is defending the rhetoric coming from the White House. The idea was reduce the deficit by 1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. Before the January deadline the Republicans gave tax increases that they were deadset against. In my mind that is compromise. Those tax increases will generate $600 billion over 10 years - half of the proposed reduction. Now it's up to the Democrats to come up with the other half. And I'm still trying to wrap my mind around a 2.5% reduction that closes down everything. It's not a cut because the government will still spend more this year than ever, even if the reduction takes place for the rest of the year. Now if our great country is that close to the edge then we need more change than anyone in Washington is willing to give. I just took a 20% cut in pay and guess what, I learned to live with it because I didn't have a choice. I would had loved a mere 2.5%.
Obama has a second term,,,get over it repuke a tards
WHY did Moochelle have to put her face into the middle of the Academy Awards?
Does she think that is a movie-star face ?
Nah....she couldn't possi....
Wait, you know, she probably does......
She has a face like Secretariat....but that movie wasn't from this year...she could win "best supporting actress.
remember the dumb azz that went on jeopardy...the one who could not spell jeopardy
@trouble,
"Moochelle"?
Seriously?
Why did you have to put your face in the middle of Rush's a$$?
Waiting for you to call me a "low info voter"....
Nah....you are a "no info voter"
and tell me WHY she had to put her horse-face into the middle of the Academy Awards....WHY ?
http://youtu.be/77_LEJQRrus............ remember this one
because they ask her dumb azz...
Because unlike the bushes,she could put two words together and complete a sentence.
Fak you repuke a tards,,you lost
Hillary 2016
Yep Teleprompters are great aren't they
viknat...yep Bush loved it.and still could not read it.so did Romney