Senators sound defense budget alarm in North Vegas

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — A trio of Republican senators sounded the alarm over billions of dollars’ worth of “catastrophic” and “draconian” military budget cuts set to take effect in January, telling an audience Monday that more time was needed for negotiations.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham and New Hampshire’s Kelly Ayotte visited Nellis Air Force Base before taking their multi-state “Preserving America’s Strength” town hall tour to a nearby community college Monday afternoon. The tour is focusing on a planned budget sequester that would impose $110 billion in federal spending cuts on Jan. 2.