Ga. senators warn of mandated military cuts - Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports | FOX 5

Georgia congressional leaders warn that thousands of jobs are in jeopardy if a new federal budget deal is not reached.  Military installations and contractors are among those who may be affected.

Senator Saxby Chambliss and Senator Johnny Isakson appeared at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta on Tuesday. Congressman Phil Gingrey also appeared. They reviewed the potential impact of the mandated cuts, and they say Georgia jobs are on the line.

"When you look at the numbers overall around the country, it's projected that somewhere between 800,000 and a million jobs would be lost and Georgia's going to be impacted in a very heavy way," said Chambliss.

Sen. Chambliss and Sen. Isakson are meeting with business and community leaders across the state.  They're warning of dire consequences if a new budget deal is not reached, and they say potential job losses would be substantial.  

"The military is prepared to make the cuts that are necessary but arbitrary cuts across the board are not the way to do it. In fact, it actually risks our readiness, it risks our weapons systems, it risks our country being a strong as we need to be," said Isakson.

One year ago, Congress agreed to raise the federal debt limit in exchange for more than $1 trillion in spending reductions, but a so-called super committee charged with laying out the cuts failed to reach an agreement.  That means the possibility now exist that automatic cuts will be made-- half from the defense budget and half from other places.  

The election year environment makes negotiations on the issue difficult, but a January deadline looms for a resolution.