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Here Come The Cuts: White House Budget Chief Jacob Lew Orders Agencies To Reduce Spending Plans

08/19/2011 12:16 pm 0 comments

Source: AP / The Huffington Post

Washington – It’s a microcosm of the budget battling that has consumed Congress all year: The Obama administration wants federal agencies to save money while Republicans push for additional savings to take a substantial bite out of the government’s towering pile of IOUs.

White House budget chief Jacob Lew has ordered agency heads to submit spending plans for the upcoming budget at least 5 percent below this year’s levels. He also wants them to propose ways to trim a total of at least 10 percent of their spending.

The Obama administration has asked agencies in years past to propose similar savings. But Lew’s order comes just two weeks after Obama and congressional Republicans ended an epic debt ceiling battle that has left both sides eager to demonstrate a willingness to trim red ink ahead of a fierce autumn battle over the economy and the debt and just as the 2012 presidential and congressional elections approach.

By requesting two sets of potential savings from agencies, Lew is moving toward fulfilling the debt-ceiling deal, which created a series of annual spending targets and would save tens of billions of dollars a year.

To read this article in its entirety visit The Huffington Post.

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