Federal budget negotiations could affect the state’s ability to respond to tornadoes and other disasters. Congress has formed a committee to look for ways to reduce the deficit by more than one-trillion dollars. If the committee fails to reach an agreement, there will be billions of dollars in automatic cuts to defense and homeland security. Kansas Senator Jay Emler, a Lindsborg Republican, also works in the Adjutant General’s Department. He says homeland security cuts would likely mean millions of dollars less in federal funding for Kansas. Emler says the reductions would probably include grants and other funding used for disaster response.
The so-called “super committee” is made up of 12 members of Congress. They have a deadline later this year to come up with a budget-cutting compromise.