Senator Warren tours Westover Air Reserve Base

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - If congress doesn't find a way to drastically reduce the national debt by March 1st, $500 billion dollars in automatic spending cuts will go into effect; it's called sequestration.

Those cuts would affect military bases around the country, including Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee.

On Sunday Senator Elizabeth Warren took a private tour of the Base.

The Defense Department has proposed cutting 17 full and part-time positions and reduce its fleet of C-5 cargo planes by half.

Senator Warren called sequestration a "self-inflicted wound.” We asked her what she wants to do.

“To be able to save the work that goes on there. And I want to be clear about this,” Senator Warren said.  “Save it not just because it's good for Massachusetts and good for jobs here, but save it because it's good for the country and good for our national defense.”

The Sequestration would also affect Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield and has already forced layoffs and private companies like ITT Excelis and Pratt & Whitney, which contract with the Defense Department.