FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Republican Paul Ryan says Mitt Romney will prevent planned cuts to the U.S. military if elected president.

The GOP vice presidential hopeful spoke to supporters Thursday in Fayetteville, home to the Ft. Bragg Army base and a large number of military families.

Ryan warned of the cuts to military spending outlined in sequestration, a series of automatic, across-the-board cuts that will take effect if Congress doesn’t reach a budget solution in the next few months. Half of the cuts are set to come from the Pentagon.

As a Wisconsin congressman and chairman of the budget committee, Ryan voted for budget control legislation that included sequestration. He spoke favorably about the agreement on the House floor.

Ryan has since voted for legislation to block the cuts.

• BETH FOUHY, Associated Press