VIDEO -WJFW TV Rhinelander: Wisconsin lawmakers discuss Sequester cuts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - We hoped Congress could compromise, but hopes to avoid the Sequester seem to be all but gone Thursday night.

It looks like billions of dollars in mandatory federal cuts will happen starting Friday.

The Senate voted on two bills aimed at avoiding the sequester Thursday.

One was GOP backed and one Democratic, but both failed to get the necessary votes to pass.

Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin was hoping to cut, what she calls, outdated tax loopholes and deals that ship jobs overseas.

"Both of these are just common sense, have mass support throughout the United States and ought to be part of our plan, in a balanced, responsible and credible way, reduce our defecit," Senator Baldwin said.

But that didn't happen.

Meanwhile, the House went home for the weekend without a vote. They're not scheduled to be back on the floor until Monday.

Wisconsin Representative Sean Duffy thinks cuts can be made to "non essential services", but the choice is ultimately up to the President.

"Our government spends $3.5, $3.6 trillion a year," Rep. Duffy said. "This is two percent of that. We can easily continue with our essential services. But if the president wants to cut the meat of those services, he'll have the discretion to do it and he can make it painful."

The President will meet with lawmakers late Thursday night, but it's not likely a deal will be reached.