The BCA established severe limits on discretionary spending and reinforced the harmful effects of sequestration. Without efforts by lawmakers to adopt a more comprehensive deficit reduction strategy, by 2021, when the BCA expires, discretionary spending will account for just 2.6% of the overall economy, the lowest level since 1962. Additionally, since 2010, federal funding for the public health service has been cut by nearly 11 percent. Among other things, the CDC's base budget was cut by 16 percent. Up to 70 percent of CDC funding goes directly to state and local health departments. As a result, federal cuts have enormous consequences for those who rely on services on the ground. The impact of the sequester goes well beyond the numbers; A closer look at public health budget cuts highlights the range of devastating results. Such analysis shows the extent of the erosion of public health infrastructure and the lost opportunities that austerity brings. Public health budget cuts impact access, research, threat detection and response, and public health.