USA

US Cities Brace for Mandatory Government Spending Cuts

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U.S. lawmakers approved a new spending measure to prevent a government shutdown later this month. It will fund the government through September 30th. But the legislation locks in place 85 billion dollars in across-the-board spending cuts to domestic and defense programs. The automatic budget reductions, known as the "sequester," are hitting every federal government agency, with many employees being forced to take days of unpaid leave and government contractors being laid off. VOA's Chris Simkins reports on what the continuing budget cuts might mean to one community near Washington, DC.