Sen. Warren Decries Potential Research Funding Cuts

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren warned that Massachusetts stands to lose thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in federal funds if Congress allows deep spending cuts to go into effect.

The cuts, known as "sequestration," will automatically trigger in March unless a compromise is reached. Some $85 billion will be trimmed from the federal budget for the remainder of the 2013 fiscal year, split evenly between defense and domestic programs.

Warren said Massachusetts received 11.3 percent of all grants made by the National Institutes of Health last year.

"We have the hospitals and researchers that are receiving number one, two, three, four and five, in terms of the big grants," Warren said. "Boston is the single largest city recipient in the country."

Warren and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino held an event in Boston Monday to outline what impact the reductions would have locally on the health care industry.

"It would interrupt research, it means scientists could lose their jobs, and that just doesn't make any sense," Warren said. "It's the wrong way to think about getting our financial house in order."

Congress is in recess until Feb. 25, just four days before the deadline.