John Yarmuth: “As the reckless across-the-board cuts in Federal spending known as ``sequester'' continue, I want to share a letter I…”

“As the reckless across-the-board cuts in Federal spending known as ``sequester'' continue, I want to share a letter I received from my constituents, Leslie and Brian Tucker: After being robbed by our home lender during the mortgage modification fiasco, my wife took a job with Jefferson County Public Schools and turned it into a career. She earned a certificate in childhood development and went to work at Duvalle Learning Center in Early Childhood Education as an assistant. After hard work, she rose to a lead teacher position. I am a union steel worker with bad insurance. We have three children together--the youngest is 13 months, the oldest is 16 years old. My wife recently was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and will require an expensive procedure to fix it. The news of her sequester-caused layoff hit us especially hard, as it seems every time we get ahead a step, something knocks us back down. Middle class life now requires two incomes. Without my wife's job, we will undoubtedly end up drawing some sort of assistance. If Congress can fix travel delays with the stroke of a pen, then helping my wife and the other teachers in Louisville being laid off should be a walk in the park. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to listen to the Tuckers and end sequestration. ____________________”