Policy Pick: Super Committee Breakdown Could Spell Trouble for Young Kids

Deadlocked on their refusals to compromise on recommendations for cutting the government deficit, members of the congressional "super committee" admitted defeat in achieving their main objective shortly before Thanksgiving. The 12-member bipartisan committee was unable to agree on any measures that would reduce $1.5 trillion in government spending over the next 10 years.

The committee's inaction triggers a sequester that would cut spending by $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years, with half coming from federal defense spending and the other half from nondefense programs. Discretionary spending programs are expected to take the brunt of the cuts due to the exemption of Social Security, Medicaid and other entitlement programs, as well as a limit on cuts to Medicare and no provision for new revenues.

"Some have said that, with respect to the super committee, no deal is better than a bad deal," said First 5 LA's federal advocate Alan Lopatin. "But for our youngest children and their families, no deal is a bad deal."

Lopatin noted that all of the cuts over the next 10 years would come from the discretionary side of the budget, including Head Start and Early Head Start, WIC and child care. In Head Start alone, the fiscal year 2013 program would be cut by nearly $590 million - more than 75,000 children and their families losing services.

"With state and local budget cuts already in place, these cuts will have even greater impact," Lopatin added. "The social safety net is no more."

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