Mayor Riley, others visit DC to discuss military cuts - Live5News.com | Charleston, SC | News, Weather, Sports

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - Three South Carolina mayors are meeting with members of Congress to discuss how federal budget sequestration will hurt their cities.

Charleston's Joe Riley, Columbia's Stephen Benjamin and Sumter's Joseph McElveen are scheduled to make the rounds on Capitol Hill on Thursday along with other members of the United States Conference of Mayors.

The Charleston area, Columbia and Sumter are all home to major military bases.

Sequestration will mean $1.2 trillion nationwide in automatic budget cuts after the first of the year because a bi-partisan congressional committee could not agree earlier on a way to trim the federal budget.

In addition to the military cuts, sequestration will cost South Carolina an estimated $65 million in money for health screenings, education, senior nutrition, veteran's services and employment services.

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