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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the sequester looms closer, the White House continues putting pressure on Republicans to accept a deal to avoid $85 billion in automatic spending cuts at the end of the week.

Yesterday the Obama Administration warned that those cuts could slash Sandy aid by $3 billion. White House officials said that in just New York alone, some 600 teachers and aides could lose their jobs. 4,300 children could lose their Head Start slots. And 12,000 civilian employees at the Defense Department could be forced to take unpaid time off, resulting in nearly $61 million in lost wages.

Democrats and Republicans have been at odds over how to avoid the cuts, with many GOP members opposed to the President’s plan to replace some of them by closing tax loopholes on the wealthy. But one local congressman says it’s time to find a permanent solution.

"I think this is the moment where we actually reach a long term agreement. If we don't get certainty in this environment, we're not going to get the accelerant to this economy. We want to grow this economy, get Americans back to work," said Rep. Chris Gibson, 19th Congressional District.

Republicans have also accused the President of hyping the impact of the spending cuts, which total about two percent of the entire federal budget.