With one ambassador dead and American embassies under threat of attack, the Obama administration warned last week that the government could lose funding to protect diplomats come January.

The money, $129 million a year, would be slashed from the State Department budget as a result of automatic reductions set to take effect next year if Republicans and Democrats in Congress don’t agree on a deficit reduction plan.

Overall, the cuts would total about $100 billion and impact large programs ranging from defense to social services.

Just under $130 million intended for maintaining security at U.S. embassies would be eliminated as well.

The news follows the death of Christopher Stevens, American ambassador to Libya, and three other Americans last week who died following attacks the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. U.S. diplomatic missions in the Middle East and other regions are now on high alert in anticipation of possibly more attacks.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

US Government Spending Cuts Include $129m a Year for Embassy Protection (by Dominic Rushe, The Guardian)

Obama Warns Congress of ‘Devastating’ Cuts in Report (by Brian Faler and Roger Runningen, Bloomberg News)

OMB Report Pursuant to the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012 (Office of Management and Budget)