Army National Guard To Assist

The Birmingham News reports that Alabama bases would likely suffer if Congress fails to reach a broad deal on spending cuts by the end of the year.

About $600 billion in defense spending will be cut if they don't.

Joe Ritch, a Huntsville lawyer who helped recruit new jobs to Redstone Arsenal, says any Alabama city that depends on defense dollars would be hurt.

Census data shows the Defense Department spent about $12 billion in Alabama in 2009.

U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, who represents Maxwell Air Force Base and Fort Rucker, says she voted against the debt deal because of potential defense cuts.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)