President Obama signs order to begin spending cuts
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WASHINGTON (AP) -
DEVELOPING: President Barack Obama has signed an order authorizing the government to begin cutting $85 billion from federal accounts, officially enacting across-the-board reductions that he opposed but failed to avert.
Obama acted Friday, the deadline for the president and Congress to avoid the steep, one-year cuts.
Obama has insisted on replacing the cuts, known as a "sequester" in government budget language, with tax increases and cuts spread out over time. Republicans have rejected any plan that included tax revenue.
The government says the reductions will soon result in furlough notices to government employees and will trim government spending on defense contracts and in domestic government programs. Active military personnel and anti-poverty and low-income assistance programs are largely protected from the cuts.
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Some $85 billion in spending cuts by the U.S. government are due to take effect Friday as part of a previous budget agreement between the White House and Congress.
The planned "sequester" could hit U.S. growth if no deal is reached to avoid it.
President Barack Obama met in intense talks with congressional leaders at the White House Friday, both Democrats and Republicans staking out fiscal positions with the threat of a government shutdown looming.
"Let's be clear: None of this is necessary. It's happening because of a choice that Republicans in Congress have made," President Obama said. "We shouldn't be making a series of dumb, arbitrary cuts to things."
The meeting -- lasting less than an hour -- yielded no immediate results.
Those automatic budget cuts that will cut federal positions and services will also have an impact on Congress.
Speaker John Boehner told Republican members that he is suspending the use of military aircraft for official trips by House members.
Rep. Peter King (R- NY) said there are other ways to cut $85B in spending.
"One answer is to do it in a more intelligent way and target programs that are not essential," said King.
The New York/New Jersey area could lose $3million to $4 million.
A White House spokesman says Obama remains "ever hopeful" and will put off signing the order until as close as possible to midnight, Friday.
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A senior administration official says Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders have struck a deal to authorize four upstate casinos and to allow votes on 10 separate women's rights bills including an abortion...
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Facebook, which owns Instagram, is expected to announce this week a new video option for the popular photo app. Most likely the feature will be for shortened video clips.
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Natura Pet Products is voluntarily recalling all Innova, California Natural, EVO, Healthwise, Mother Nature and Karma branded dry pet food and biscuit, bar, and treat products with expiration dates prior to June 10, 2014, because of a positive Salmonella test.
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Chrysler photo via AP
Chrysler said it has resolved its differences with the government and will recall older Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty SUVs that could be at risk of a fuel tank fire.
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The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
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For the first time in seven years, most U.S. homebuilders are optimistic about home sales, a sign that construction could help drive stronger economic growth in coming months.
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TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Motorists are seeing stable prices at the pumps in New Jersey.AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in New Jersey on Friday was $3.40, the same price as last week. It's also the same price motorists were paying a year ago.The national average price also remained stable, coming in at $3.63 for the second straight week.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Motorists are seeing stable prices at the pumps in New Jersey.AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in New Jersey on Friday was $3.40, the same price as last week. It's also the same price motorists were paying a year ago.The national average price also remained stable, coming in at $3.63 for the second straight week.
