Northern Virginia's Top Contractors: Cuts Would Be 'Devastating'
Democrats, Republicans and hundreds of private sector government contractors gathered at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott on Monday afternoon to protest sequestration, which would cut $500 billion of federal defense spending.
ARLINGTON — U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly on Monday called on Congress to cancel its upcoming five-week recess in order to solve looming $500 billion defense cuts that could cost Northern Virginia thousands of jobs. That sentiment was echoed by Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce President Jim Corcoran, who said the federal government shouldn't balance its budget on the backs of the defense industry. And Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, who arrived late to the "Stop Sequestration" rally thanks to a flight delay, said afterward he supported Connolly's idea. "Sequestration" is the name given to $1 trillion federal budget cuts that will happen in January if Congress doesn't reach a compromise. Half of that would affect the defense industry, which …
Greg Wheaton
5:02 pm on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
One of the reasons Virginia is one of the only states in the country who's budget is in the black is due to the high employment factor in Northern Virginia, and much owing to the Defense Department and supporting economies along with many other Pentagon and government jobs is D.C. The sad fact is that there is a huge deficit hanging out there, so unless we are to have another war, downsizing is … more ›