Applying Brakes to Benefits Gets Wide G.O.P. Backing

[Rose Siding]

In his budget request to Congress, President Bush will try to impose firm, enforceable limits on the growth of federal benefit programs, and the chairmen of the Senate and House Budget Committees say they strongly supported that effort.

Administration officials and Congressional aides said Mr. Bush would also seek cuts in housing assistance for low-income families, freezes or slight increases in most domestic programs, and larger increases for domestic security. The spending plan for 2006, like the appropriations enacted for this year, would give priority to military operations and domestic security over social welfare programs.
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Mr. Bush plans to submit his budget to Congress early next month. Officials at the affected agencies said he would propose a virtual freeze for the National Science Foundation and a very small increase for the National Institutes of Health.

Agency officials throughout the government spoke on condition of anonymity because the White House wants to control the way details of the president's budget are released.

A legislative proposal drafted by the White House would make it more difficult for Congress to pass legislation increasing the "long-term unfunded obligations" of benefit programs like Social Security, Medicare, Civil Service retirement and disability, veterans disability compensation, and health benefits for retired federal employees.......MORE........

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/09/politics/09budget1.html?ex=1262926800&en=bc1615a98e3a559f&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland