Oklahoma lawmakers are bracing for the worst. If the automatic federal budget cuts take place, Oklahoma will lose millions of dollars in federal matching funds. Rush Springs Democrat Joe Dorman says it will cripple many programs.
Joe Dorman: "We saw $140-million that could be cut out of health funds. We saw over $50-million to educational programs we could lose. It is $120,000 per region, for the 10-regions for senior nutrition sites alone."
The legislature is meeting with agencies to discuss the worst-case scenario and potential impacts on programs.
Joe Dorman: "We are getting opinions from agencies as to whether cut programs could still function, or would we have to shut down the program and run those dollars to another area within their purview."
The various agency heads says the cut would be devastating if an automatic reduction in federal spending, known as sequestration, occurs in Washington.
