Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 5:18pm
WASHINGTON (AP) - He made a similar appeal last year in the
State of the Union address -- and the White House says President
Barack Obama will again call tonight for a freeze on all
discretionary government spending, except for national security.
This proposal will be for a five-year freeze, not three.
But it may have little effect, since Congress decides the budget on its
own terms.
An official says Obama will also call for lawmakers to back a
five-year plan put forth by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to save
$78 billion in defense spending.