MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) _ A northern Indiana congressman is demanding that the U.S. House and Senate work together to avert deep across-the-board budget cuts.
 
  U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky tells The Times of Munster that Congress has had repeated chances to pass a long-term deficit-reduction plan. The Indiana Democrat says lawmakers must find ways to responsibly reduce federal spending.
 
  If Congress does not compromise on a government spending plan, $85 billion in automatic spending cuts will take effect March 1.
 
  Those budget cuts would cost Indiana schools nearly $28 million. Visclosky says sudden, deep cuts to the state’s schools would hurt the current economic recovery.
 
  The spending reductions could also affect the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ work on Little Calumet River levees in northwestern Indiana.