Sequestration already cutting into national defense

(CBS News) WASHINGTON -- There is a much bigger Washington fiscal crisis coming in three weeks, when automatic, across-the-board budget cuts go into effect unless Congress finds another way. In Washington lingo, the budget cuts are called sequestration, and they're already cutting into national defense.

Watch: Scott Pelley speaks with President Barack Obama about sequestration, at left.

Late Wednesday afternoon, the 5,000 crew members of the aircraft carrier Truman got the word: they will not be leaving their home port of Norfolk, Va., for the Persian Gulf this Friday, as planned.

Their deployment is being postponed due to the looming budget crisis. Vice Admiral Mark Fox says that means the U.S. will have only one -- instead of the normal two -- aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf.

Vice Admiral Mark Fox

/ CBS News

"What it does change is the opportunity to have additional capability immediately," Fox says. "There will be additional time, distance associated with bringing another vessel over if that's required."

Fox says the move will save "in the hundreds of millions of dollars."

The postponement of the Truman's deployment -- along with that of a guided missile cruiser -- is the most visible effect of the threat of automatic budget cuts, known as sequestration, compounded by the absence of a new budget for fiscal year 2013. It's a double-whammy which has a normally affable Defense Secretary Leon Panetta hot under the collar.

In farewell remarks, Panetta rails against Congress, sequestration
Obama calls on Congress to avert sequester
Congress digs in for sequester battle -- again

"This is not a game," he declared Wednesday in a farewell speech at Georgetown University. "This is reality."

If sequestration takes effect at the beginning of March, Panetta says the Department of Defense will have to cut $46 billion in the remaining seven months of the fiscal year.

"We will furlough as many as 800,000 D.O.D. civilians around the country for up to 22 days," he said Wednesday. "They could face a 20 percent cut in their salary. You don't think that's going to impact on our economy?"

The cuts will not affect combat operations in Afghanistan. But troops in the field would take a hit in the pocket. A planned pay raise could be cut nearly in half.

[Tip60X]

I am a cancer researcher funded through NIH grants. NIH has just imposed a 10% budget cut on our current funding. This is on top of several years of flat budgets and funding of grants below the requested level. This is eroding our ability to carry out cutting edge research. As a result, we can no longer initiate new projects, have limited some experiments due to cost, and cancelled travel to attend scientific meetings, effectively cutting us off from scientific interactions with our colleagues. If the cuts become permanent, I will have to fire part of my research team. The lack of consistent NIH support is forcing many young researchers to leave the field and discouraging new ones from entering. If we want to maintain the US as leaders in biomedical research, we must continue to invest in NIH and other research agencies. Cutting NIHs budget seems like an easy fix for balancing the budget right now. But when the next new public health issue arises (SARS, avian flu, cancer, antibiotic resistant bacteria etc), where will we find the trained scientists to deal with these issues?"

[peter_out]

The sequester will not be easy, nobody said it would be easy. It will be devestating to have to actually pay for the things we buy for a change. And, this sequestration is only the start. Another sequestration should be implemented each year until there is a surplus, not a deficit.

The country may not be able to afford Obama's agenda? It's laughable you think that is news. The country could not afford the $5 Trillion of new debt Obama has racked up in 4 years. That's why it is called debt. It hasn't been paid for.

OK so the bailouts didn't achieve anything. You live and learn. So, let's take time out from spending and pay off Obama's $5 Trillion in new debt first, then perhaps borrow a little more later. But I hope not.

But if both Democrats and Republicans alike quit on even the sequester because it might be a little tough for awhile, then they are wasting their time in Congress, and the American people are in big trouble.

[Grmstr]

National Defense, my rear end. We spend more on "Defense" than the next dozen or so nations combined, and most of them are our allies.

[ammo17]

doesn`t this remind you of the fall of the soviet union,when their navy rotted in harbors for years.

[ammo17]

i don`t believe any of the sequester crap,we are going to let 12-20 million illegals into the country,who and how are we going to pay for them?

[Stringbeing]

At least we're only blaming half the government for what they all do.

That way, they can all get away with it.

[snakepilot]

The proposed cuts are just cuts in the planned budget increases for the next ten years. There's no real austerity. The hype from the Pentagon is just blue smoke and mirrors. I realize this is a hard concept for the low information voter ( read Democrat )

[TimeToEvolve]

How is that for an oxymoron: National Defense.

For a radical, violent, corporation run, imperialistic and terrorism spreading national agency. Paid for by taxes from the 99% for the benefit of the Top 1%. WOW!

[blkwolfvf1]

Congress has now committed an impeachable offense, Article 1 Section 8 To provide and maintain a Navy; All *********** aside commence impeachment proceedings on EVERY member of Congress and get rid of them. They handed us this opportunity to make a clean sweep, We the People need to follow up on it.

[TimeToEvolve]

I think that root canals have a higher approval rating than the Wall Street bought and paid for US Congress. We also need to impeach Chevron, GE, Walmart, AT&T, Exxon, Halliburton, General Dynamics, Home Depot, etc., etc.. etc.

[OldTimeTruth]

Do nothing congress, Job Loss = GOP. Clean the house and senate in 2014!