In response to looming federal budget cuts, local political activists are planning a "day of action" in front of the Federal Building in downtown Ann Arbor early Saturday afternoon.
Brooke Fajardo, one of the organizers of the event, said she's helping to organize a new chapter of Organizing for Action in Washtenaw County.
The first action of the new group will be to inform community members of the impact of sequestration on various services in the area.
U.S. Rep. John Dingell, shown in this file photo from 2012, said Thursday he's "tired of having to hold my nose and vote for these incomplete stop-gap bills solely to avoid the calamity of a government shutdown."
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
The event takes place from noon to 2 p.m.
Sequestration is the term used to describe a series of automatic spending cuts that went into effect March 1 after Democrats and Republicans in Washington failed to strike a deal to stop them. As a result, federal agencies are now faced with cutting programs and furloughing employees.
Fajardo is expecting 30 to 50 people to attend to help pass out literature and reach out to other passersby to inform them about what's happening.
Even though Organizing for Action is an organization established to further President Barack Obama's legislative agenda, Fajardo said the "day of action" is a nonpartisan event.
The Federal Building, perhaps more commonly known as the downtown post office, is located at the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue and Liberty Street.
The group invites all to attend the event, especially those in the community whose employment, business or family are being affected by the federal budget cuts.
Because the sequestration cuts happen over the next 10 years, Fajardo said, it's difficult to determine what the total impact will be for Washtenaw County in terms of dollars, but she's hoping some of the people speaking at Saturday's event will give a better sense of the magnitude.
"We've got folks coming from the Delonis Center, county commissioners, folks who are involved in legal aid, and representatives for education in the area," she said. "We have a bunch of different community leaders coming to talk about the impacts on their organizations."
The U.S. House passed legislation Thursday that avoids a federal shutdown and keeps the government funded through Sept. 30, the end of the 2013 fiscal year.
CNN.com reported the measure now set to become law reduces the impact of the $85 billion in forced cuts — called sequestration — by establishing stop-gap budgets for the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and Veterans Affairs, among other things.
U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, said he's "tired of having to hold my nose and vote for these incomplete stop-gap bills solely to avoid the calamity of a government shutdown."
He said he finds it beneath the dignity of the American people to "constantly hold them hostage" to political posturing in Washington.
The GOP-controlled House also passed a fiscal year 2014 budget Thursday, but it isn't expected to gain traction in the Democratic-run Senate.
U.S. Rep Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, said the 2014 budget blueprint supported by House Republicans targets wasteful spending and fixes a broken tax code to foster job growth.
"Our budget will not only help build a healthier economy, but improve the lives of hardworking taxpayers," he said. "It will provide economic security for employers and employees, a sustainable safety net for the poor and those retiring, and a secure future for our children and grandchildren."
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.