Local representatives talk of looming budget cuts

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Just four days remain before there could be an $85 billion budget cut in Congress that would have a huge affect on Jacksonville.

Two local congressional leaders -- Reps. Ander Crenshaw and Corrine Brown -- spoke about the budget issues Monday. They're headed back to Washington D.C. to try to head off these cuts.

"I don't know what is going to happen. I think all bets are off if this kicks in," Crenshaw said.

Before Crenshaw left for the nation's Capitol on Monday afternoon, he spoke about the debate he faces. Crenshaw sits on the House appropriations committee and has a lot to say about military spending.

"This meat-axe approach is the wrong way to go, and everybody agrees it is going to hurt our military," he said. "So I am asking the president to come home, get off the campaign trail and provide some leadership, sit down with Congress, and let's figure out a way to replace these cuts."

Reps. Ander Crenshaw and Corrine Brown

Brown, who also flew out Monday, said she doesn't know what to expect.

"I have been elected 20 years and I have never experienced this type of dysfunction in the United States Congress -- ever," she said.

Brown is pointing her finger at Republicans and says it's not the president. She says these cuts do not have to happen.

"It's a Republican crisis, like everything the president wants to do," Brown said. "It's like no, no, no, and it's so stupid."

Both agree time is running out, and both say it's going to have to take some compromise, but each says it's the other side that won't budge.

"I'm hoping we will find a way to avoid those meat-axe approaches and find a way to have reasonable cuts, because we are spending too much time in Washington," Crenshaw said. "We got to go about stopping spending in the right way."

"You now have people that don't want to work," Brown said. "They don't want to compromise. They don't want to talk. It's my way or the highway. What is that?"