Sequester: Blunt Doesn't Expect Furloughs on Missouri's Army, Air Force Bases

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Senator Blunt says he doesn't think 8,000 civilian employees on Missouri's Army and Air Force bases will lose their jobs come Friday morning.

The Obama administration says that's a possibility under the drastic budget cuts coming under the sequester. Blunt says there's a lot of other sensible choices.

"You can take bigger projects that are projects that can be delayed in some way. You can cancel conferences, you can do lots of things that don't involve furloughing people."

Blunt says once the budget cuts go into effect, it will be up to Obama and his administration to decide how and where the cuts will be made.

"This was the president's idea. His assignment 18 months ago was to prepare for this, and he did just the opposite. And now, there are consequences."

Blunt thinks it would still be best if Obama would give that authority back to Congress.

When Does the Sequester Start? Don't Ask Washington

The White House confirmed today that President Obama will meet with congressional leaders to discuss the sequester on Friday, the day the sequester takes effect. That spurred congressional Republicans to criticize the president for scheduling a meeting after the sequester starts.

Aides to both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told CBS News that the sequester officially becomes law at 12 a.m. ET on Friday - that's midnight from Thursday into Friday.

Shortly after that, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters, "My understanding is it happens at midnight on Friday, 11:59." In other words, the White House meeting would take place just before the sequester takes effect, not after.

When Does the Sequester Start? Don't Ask Washington